Rangers search for budget upgrade

By David Mullen

In 2023, the Texas Rangers were MLB’s World Champions. The team made an astonishing playoff run fueled by timely hitting, power surges and strong defensive play, overachieving starting pitching and a bullpen exceptionally managed by skipper Bruce Boche.   

In 2024, the Rangers were a third-place team, finished six games under .500 and played without the confidence, skill and bravado of a defending World Champion. The NL Champion Los Angeles Dodgers are now the reigning World Series Champions, having dispatched the AL Champion New York Yankees 4 games to 1.

The Rangers’ transition from champion to commoner was not epic. The 1997 Florida Marlins won the World Series and lost 108 games the next season. The Washington Nationals were crowned champs in 2019 and finished last in 2020. The situation in Texas is not dire. The team needs tweaking and has to  address their tweaks with a corporate edict to reduce payroll.

This season’s Rangers were below the league average in batting average, HRs, RBI and stolen bases. Their pitching also regressed. Their team ERA was 28th in the league and their bullpen was below the league average in saves. 

The Texas brass is in San Antonio at the annual GM meetings, where deals are proposed and free agents are considered. The Rangers’ first move was to shore up the front office. Highland Park’s Chris Young signed a new contract as president of baseball operations. 

Front office veteran Ross Fenstermaker is the team’s new GM. Cole Figueroa is coming from Tampa Bay to become the Rangers assistant GM. The front office is now set, but the team budget is not. The bankruptcy of Bally Sports Southwest, owned by Diamond Sports Group, leaves Texas without a broadcast partner for 2025 and without an estimated $100 million in annual local TV revenue. The lost revenue means the Rangers will be unlikely players in the robust free agent market which began after the World Series. 

While thoughts of outfielder Juan Soto, infielder Pete Alonzo or pitchers Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell or Max Fried coming to Arlington may be pipe dreams, Snell or Fried could be pursued with some inevitable roster shuffling. 

Let’s look at some of the immediate needs. The Rangers need a leadoff hitter that can get on base and steal bases, another power bat, a reliable catching situation and both starting and relief pitching support. 

The cupboard in the minor league system is bare, unless young arms Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker can live up to expectations as bona fide major league starters. Rocker, returning from Tommy John surgery in 2023, gets the first chance.

Starting pitchers Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle and Jon Gray are signed. All three spend more time in the training room than on the mound. Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney have declined contract options and are free agents, although Texas-native Eovaldi wants to stay. Resigning Eovaldi would make sense. Trading Gray and his $13 million salary could bring in a leadoff hitter, backup catcher or some bullpen help.

If deGrom and Mahle can stay healthy and join Eovaldi, Cody Bradford, Dane Dunning and Rocker, the Rangers’ starting staff is solid but vulnerable to injury. Signing Fried would give Texas another top starter.

After being an All-Star in 2023, catcher Jonah Heim regressed offensively and defensively. But he is only 29 and I would not give up on him as many want to. Signing a backup, power hitting catcher like Kyle Higashioka would not cost much and could be like another version of Mitch Garber, a key player on the World Series winner.  

Shortstop Corey Seager, 2B Marcus Semien and OF Adolis Garcia are signed. Seager, despite injuries, is the mainstay of the lineup. 

He is untouchable. Semien, batting leadoff, is a better fit lower in the lineup. Trading Semien or Garcia, as Ranger fans gasp at the thought, would dump salary and could bring a more reliable, premium bat to the lineup. I would also trade 1B Nathaniel Lowe and OF Leody Taveras. The Rangers could get value in trade from Lowe and his more than $10 million salary.

 Homegrown Rangers OF/DH Wyatt Langford, 3B Josh Jung and OF Evan Carter should be stalwarts in the Rangers lineup for years to come. Jung and Carter must stay healthy and Carter must prove he can be consistent for a complete season. 

Youngster Justin Foscue can play 1B, 2B or DH if he proves he can hit major league pitching consistently and strikeout less.

For the Rangers to return as a championship contender, the roster doesn’t need a complete overhaul. The AL West is not menacing. Seattle has excellent pitching but can’t hit. Houston continues to lose key players, and 3B Alex Bregman is a free agent. The Athletics are years removed from competing and the Los Angeles Angels are a mess.

The Rangers can get better and reduce payroll at the same time. It just will require some creative financing.