Texas Rangers Must Lock Down Two Big Stars as 2023 Season Approaches

The Texas Rangers need sign two of their core players to contract extensions ahead of the 2023 MLB season to help ensure future success.
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The Texas Rangers have spent nearly $800 million on free agents over the course of the last two winters. That money was used in hopes that the franchise returns to contender status in a stacked American League West division and compete for World Series titles.

With the acquisitions of Jacob deGrom, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien, to name a few, it's time to turn attention towards first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and outfielder Adolis García.

In a recent article from The Athletic's Tim Britton, he breaks down each extension candidate by tiers of importance and urgency.

Lowe falls into "Tier 1: Get this done now" while Britton gives a fair valuation of the extension at six years and $64 million.

At just under $11 million per season, Lowe is able to cash in on his career season that he experienced in 2022. As for the Rangers, it helps them lock down their first base position while hoping that Lowe's production from last year was not an anomaly.

It's a fair deal for both sides and makes perfect sense. 

As for García, he falls into the "Tier 2: This makes more sense for the player" section. Britton argues that García's extension should be valued at five years and $45 million, which only buys out a year of free agency as the outfielder enters his age-34 season.

Again, not a terrible value for either side. It gives García some financial stability while allowing Texas to focus on other areas of the roster. Left field anyone? García currently makes up one of the larger pieces of the puzzle on the roster. Securing his services for the next five years is a smart investment for the Rangers front office. 

Both Lowe and García have and will continue to play pivotal roles on this team as they enter into their window of contention. Locking them down for the foreseeable future not only gives the franchise peace of mind, but goes a long way in showing good faith to their players who perform.

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Published
Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies, Cubs and Astros. He is also an editor for Inside the Rangers. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.