What Worries Texas Rangers Going Into Spring Training?

The Texas Rangers don't appear to have much room for error in their starting rotation to open the 2024 season.

The attention for the Texas Rangers remains on pitching, with free agency and potential trades still the major tools to add talent.

But that hasn’t stopped the folks at MLB.com from pondering how that collection of talent will come together. The league website’s army of beat writers pondered the biggest question for each club going into spring training.

Every team has something to deal with. Yes, even the Los Angeles Dodgers who’ve spent more than a $1 billion on Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

As for the defending World Series champions, pitching is the big concern. Particularly, how it will hold up for the first half of the season. Free-agent signee Tyler Mahle joins Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom as Texas starters not ready for the start of 2024.

Per MLB.com:

The Rangers have theoretically already won the 2024 Trade Deadline with three starting pitchers – Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Tyler Mahle – all returning from injury in the second half. But the rotation in the first half of the season is looking mighty thin.

What does the staff look like to open the season?

The Rangers’ Opening Day rotation now lines up with Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning, Andrew Heaney and Cody Bradford, with prospects Owen White (two big league appearances in 2023), Zak Kent and Cole Winn all waiting in the wings. It’s a fine rotation, but if any of the top five arms get hit with a substantial injury, it could cause trouble for the Rangers early on.

If the rotation can stay healthy over the first few months, the offensive firepower from Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Adolis García and Co. should keep the Rangers above water until the pitching cavalry shows up.

Scherzer News Underscores Rangers' Pitching Needs

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