Rangers Pitching Decisions Will Define Final Opening-Day Roster

With less than a week until opening day, this final Texas Rangers’ 26-man roster projection is down to a few, final jobs.

Matthew Postins | Mar 21, 2025

Aug 6, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Dane Dunning (33) makes a catch during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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Texas Rangers

In less than a week, the Texas Rangers will host the Boston Red Sox on opening day. But before Texas gets to Thursday, they must be down to 26 players.

The last week has worn down the starting rotation, as the Rangers know they’ll be without starters Cody Bradford and Jon Gray for the foreseeable future. Gray is already on the 60-day injured list with a fractured right hand.

To help, Texas signed veteran left-hander Patrick Corbin earlier this week. He hasn’t had a good record with the Washington Nationals the past few seasons. But, Texas management has been clear — they want him to eat innings and help them through what they hope is a rough patch for the first couple of months.

But how does Corbin influence what the opening-day roster will look like? With opening day six days away, let’s take one last look at what it could look like.

Starting Pitchers

Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Tyler Mahle, Jack Leiter, Patrick Corbin

Corbin isn’t joining the Rangers in Surprise, Ariz. He’ll join them in Arlington when they return on Monday as he is with his wife. She was preparing to deliver their child when he signed.

Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said that Corbin was build up to 80 pitches on his own as he’s thrown live batting practice in Jupiter, Fla. Texas still needs to get eyes on him.

But assuming all is well when he arrives, consider this possible rotation.

Eovaldi will be the opening-day starter. Texas has decided that deGrom will pitch at the end of the rotation, either in the fourth or fifth game of the season. Between that they can go with Mahle and Leiter.

That means Corbin could pitch in either the fourth or fifth game. The Rangers could piggy-back one of their long relievers, like Dane Dunning, on Corbin’s start to give them coverage.

If Corbin can’t go, then the Rangers could slide Dunning into the rotation, who is probably the most capable of being a spot starter. Then Corbin slides back into the rotation the next turn.

Leiter is in. He’s earned a job. As for Kumar Rocker, it feels like he’ll get caught on a last-minute roster crunch. The control just isn’t there. It should come back, but he would benefit from a few weeks in the minors to get things tuned up. It’s possible he ends up in the bullpen. It all depends on what Texas needs there.

Relievers

Chris Martin, Robert Garcia, Marc Church, Patrick Murphy, Shawn Armstrong, Luke Jackson, Adrian Houser, Dane Dunning

This is where the Rangers keep a watchful eye on remaining player options, who is a non-roster invitee, who is on the 40-man roster and who they might be willing to cut ties with.

For instance, Josh Sborz is out of options, but he’ll start the season on the injured list. Texas isn’t losing him.

Webb, however, is out of options. He’s been solid this spring — 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA in seven games.

But others have pitched better. One is Patrick Murphy, who has a 0.66 ERA in seven games. He’s struck out 13 hitters in 13 innings. He is a non-roster invitee, so if the Rangers want to keep him, it requires a 40-man move.

These are the decisions the Rangers face. This is why it’s possible a pitcher like Rocker goes back to the minors to preserve keeping a player like Webb.

Roles are becoming much clearer. Martin is the closer. Dunning and Houser will make a solid 1-2 long-relief punch. Houser (1.54 ERA) is a NRI but needs to be kept.

If it’s based on spring performance, then Garcia, Church, Murphy, Armstrong and Jackson all deserve a spot as single-inning or set-up relievers. Church (5.40 ERA) has given up four hits in seven innings.

That leaves Webb the odd-man-out. But bullpens can be incredibly unpredictable when it comes to setting the opening day roster.

Catcher

Jonah Heim, Kyle Higashioka

It bears mentioning the Rangers don’t have another catcher on the 40-man roster. So using Higashioka and Heim in a tandem should not only help Heim’s offense but keep both healthy. Both are quality receivers and that should agree with the pitching staff. It should be interesting to see if each of the staff’s pitchers has a catcher preference.

Infielders

Jake Burger, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Josh Jung, Josh Smith

Smith was playing first base the other day. Texas is committed to finding Smith as much playing time as possible. Now in his third full year, Smith has adapted incredibly well to that super-utility role. His bat has caught up to his above-average glove.

It’s possible Smith doesn’t play much outfield, though he can. He should get regular time at both first and third base to keep Burger and Jung, respectively, fresh.

Outfielders

Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter, Adolis García, Kevin Pillar, Leody Taveras

Neither Carter nor Taveras has had a particularly good spring training at the plate. It’s entirely possible that Pillar could start in center field on opening day, something no one had on the bingo card a few weeks ago. In that scenario, expect both Carter and Taveras to get time early to keep the veteran fresh.

The Rangers can’t send down Taveras without risking losing him as he’s out of options. Carter, on the other hand, could be sent down if the Rangers believe he could benefit from more at-bats. Alejandro Osuna has been a revelation this spring, but it’s hard to see him stealing a roster spot.

If the Rangers opted to promote Osuna it might spell real trouble for Carter’s future. That’s why it’s more likely Carter makes the roster and the Rangers remain patient with the left-hander, who has untapped power in has bat.

Designated Hitter

Joc Pederson

This should be interesting. The Rangers have been DH-flexible the past two seasons. But with what they’ve invested in Pederson, it demands he be in the lineup against right-handed pitching whenever possible. Texas faced right-handers four out of every five at-bats last season. That should put Pederson on the field 80% of the time. At 32 years old, he doesn’t need to be in the field much.

He has six seasons with at least 20 home runs. For an offense that was slugging-challenged last season, he’s the biggest hope for an infusion from an outside move.