Texas Rangers recruit Tim Lincecum said he is ready for whatever role the team throw at him, even if that is out of the bullpen.

Former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Lincecum, 33, signed an unfinalized deal with the Rangers this week.

A three-time MLB World Series champion, two-time National League Cy Young Award winner and four-time All-Star, Lincecum is ready to play his role.

"I've pitched out of the bullpen a number of times in my life, so it's nothing new to me," he told reporters Tuesday, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"I've done it obviously in the major league level, so same thing there, I feel like it just keeps more doors open for myself and I saw the more often I threw the better off I was, especially those last six months, so the bullpen role seems more fitting for that."

Lincecum did not play in 2017 and only made nine appearances with the Angels in 2016.

That was not enough to prevent the Rangers from pursuing Lincecum. Neither was the fact he made just eight appearances out of the bullpen in his first 10 MLB seasons.

What is really good news for Texas is the veteran cannot wait to get back into the game, saying he felt weird not being out on the diamond when spring training started last year.

"It's one of those things that's an itch in you and it's kind of one of those things when you see everybody going out spring training, we gotta migrate, I gotta head down," he said. "I don't feel right if I'm not doing the same thing."

Lincecum won two Cy Young awards with the San Francisco Giants in 2008 and 2009 and threw more than 200 innings four times. 

Coming out of the bullpen will be a new thing even after a little bit of time off, but the number 10 overall pick in 2006 is ready for whatever the Rangers throw at him, even if that means he will be closing which he has never done at MLB level.

"I feel like I could do that," he said. "I've done it in the Cape and I've done it in the college level," he said. "It's going to be obviously different, but I think I can tap into that mentality."