Texas Rangers Offseason Moves Show Strong Commitment to Dominating AL West
The Texas Rangers didn’t come close to defending their 2023 World Series championship during the 2024 season.
Injuries played a major part in the team’s lack of success as they were unable to ever find their groove, winning only 78 games.
Looking to ensure there isn’t a repeat of that in 2025, the front office got to work fortifying the roster. The tally, to this point, is 11 different transactions — seven free-agent signings and four trades.
A lot of those moves resulted in the team overhauling their bullpen, which looks like it will be without veterans Kirby Yates and David Robertson. Both players hit free agency and based on moves made, seem unlikely to return at this point.
The team signed Chris Martin, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb and Shawn Armstrong to give Bruce Bochy a lot of depth to work with. Left-handed pitcher Robert Garcia was acquired from the Washington Nationals in exchange for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and lefty Mason Molina landed in Texas from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Grant Anderson.
That kind of depth cannot be overlooked, but the lineup also got some much-needed upgrades.
Coveted slugger Joc Pederson, one of the elite platoon outfielders in baseball, agreed to a two-year, $37 million deal. He and Jake Burger, who was acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins, add some pop to the lineup.
The only other players to receive multi-year deals from the Rangers were starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who re-signed with a three-year, $75 million deal. Catcher Kyle Higashioka agreed to a two-year, $13.5 million pact as well.
All in all, it has resulted in Jim Bowden of The Athletic giving the team a “B+” grade for their work thus far this offseason. While their moves with the roster certainly stood out, it was a plan of succession with their staff that the former front office executive really liked.
“Another under-the-radar move of note: Skip Schumaker, who was hired as a senior adviser to president of baseball operations Chris Young, gives the Rangers their long-term answer at manager whenever Bruce Bochy decides to retire.”
The American League West has been dominated in recent years by the Houston Astros. They finished in first place four straight seasons and seven of the last eight. The only time they weren’t on top was the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign.
That is a streak which Bowden believes will be snapped in 2025.
He has predicted that Texas will finish first in the AL West, becoming a contender in the league once again. If the injury bug does not bite them as harshly this upcoming year, they have the talent to make some noise.