Texas Rangers 2022 Preview, Part II: A Talented But Unproven Pitching Staff

The Texas Rangers lineup will surely be better in 2022. As for the pitching staff, there are many questions that need to be answered.

The Texas Rangers spent the vast majority of their $580.7 million in guaranteed contracts to upgrade an offense that ranked near the very bottom of Major League Baseball in every major category.

As for the pitching, much like 2021, this will be a year of evaluation.

$56 million secured Jon Gray, a quality veteran starter to front the 2022 rotation. The 30-year-old Gray is a significant improvement from Jordan Lyles and Mike Foltynewicz, who served as veteran leaders last year. However, Gray comes with his own concerns. 

His career 4.59 ERA doesn't scream "top-of-the-rotation starter," but a move away from Colorado could help him find more consistency. Gray has always had the stuff, and now he's sporting a new slider that could help him miss more bats. Maybe all Gray needs is getting away from the cruel back-and-forth between mile-high Coors Field and sea-level ballparks.

For optimism, the Rangers have a good track record of signing veteran pitchers and helping them get to another level. Mike Minor, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson all turned their careers around after coming to Texas. 

Martín Pérez also reunited with the Rangers this year, and will help eat innings in the rotation. As a wiser, more-seasoned pitcher than he was in his first stint with Texas, could Pérez be the next veteran to find success here?

Speaking of hitting another level, 2022 will be a year to find out what the Rangers have in a plethora of arms. Dane Dunning and Taylor Hearn, both acquired in trades during this rebuild, have the first two cracks at the starting rotation. 

Dunning was a starter from beginning to end last year, though he was on a tight restriction since it was his first full season after Tommy John surgery. Outside of a minor leg injury that forced him to miss one start and a stint on the COVID Injured List, Dunning made it through the season relatively healthy. Now the handcuffs are gone and the Rangers will get a much better idea of what Dunning can bring to the table.

Hearn was one of the better success stories for the Rangers last year, earning a full-time spot in the rotation in August after pitching in a piggyback role out of the bullpen. For the most part, Hearn's run as a starter went well, which earned him another shot this year. The Royse City native now owns a five-pitch mix that gives him confidence to attack hitters. Manager Chris Woodward is confident enough in Hearn to give him the start in the home opener against the Rockies on Monday.

Spencer Howard won the job as the fifth starter with a strong performance in spring training, but the Rangers will need the likes of A.J. Alexy and Glenn Otto to help supplement the rotation as injuries happen. This trio is young and talented, but have significant areas they need to improve. Howard, a former top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, might have the highest upside of the three.

Outside of Matt Bush and Greg Holland, who made the club as non-roster invitees, and free-agent signing Garrett Richards, this is a talented but unproven bullpen. Bush has the same stuff he did when he was a key member of the bullpen that last pitched in the postseason, but he needs to be able to consistently attack hitters up in the zone with his fastball. If he does that and finds a way to avoid another lengthy injury, Bush could be a huge asset.

Holland has the potential to be this year's Ian Kennedy. The Rangers didn't just hand him a role in the bullpen out of charity while optioning the likes of Spencer Patton or Nick Snyder, who are both worthy of a roster spot. They believe Holland can be a key contributor in high-leverage situations.

Richards, who is starting the season on the 10-day IL, will pitch in a multi-inning role this season—a role he found success in with the Boston Red Sox last year. The former first-round pick has always had nasty stuff, and that could play better in shorter stints.

Joe Barlow finished last season as the Rangers' closer, converting 11 of 12 save opportunities while posting a 1.55 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in 31 total appearances. Those are numbers that automatically thrust you back into closer consideration, though Woodward has indicated Barlow may still have to earn it.

Brock Burke was the surprise of spring training, earning a spot as a multi-inning reliever. Burke displayed a significant uptick in velocity—about 4-to-5 mph—which intrigues the Rangers since Burke already has a long extension to the plate. Along with Kolby Allard, the Rangers open the season with two southpaws that can pitch multiple innings.

Brett Martin, Josh Sborz, Dennis Santana, John King and recently-acquired Albert Abreu round out the rest of the Opening Day bullpen. All but Martin and King can bring the heat, but the two lefties could be very valuable. Martin was the most consistent reliever in the Rangers bullpen last year while King, who missed a good portion of 2021 due to injury, induced a lot of chase and missed a lot of bats with a good slider and devastating changeup.

Both Jonathan Hernández and José Leclerc are expected to return from Tommy John surgery by mid-June. The duo will strengthen the Rangers' bullpen as Hernández established himself as a dominant reliever in 2020 and Leclerc has previous success as the closer in Texas.

As for the exciting crop of pitching prospects that include Jack Leiter, Cole Winn, Owen White, Ricky Vanasco and many others, their impact is still on the horizon. You could see Winn make his debut at some point this season, but he will have to put up the same type of performance from last year with Double-A Frisco as the No. 1 starter for Triple-A Round Rock.

Rangers fans have every reason to be very excited for the future of the pitching staff. This is the deepest the Rangers have been on the mound since, well, maybe ever. 2022 just isn't the year where most of that elite talent is expected to hit, which prevents them from becoming a legitimate postseason contender this year.

If the Rangers have two pitchers emerge as legitimate starters for the rotation—ones that are worthy of being in a contending rotation—it will be a success. Remember, the Rangers still have plenty of money to invest in the team next winter.

Texas Rangers Season Preview, Part I: Seager, Semien Lead Revamped Offense