This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it often in your inbox.
For the primary time in a very long time, the Rangers aren’t a full-scale rebuild or roster overhaul going into the offseason. Coming off the primary World Sequence in franchise historical past, Texas isn’t supervisor, entrance workplace modifications and even lineup turnover.
As an alternative, Texas is trying on the most effective sensible methods to defend its title with each inside and exterior strikes over the following a number of months. However that doesn’t imply the membership is with out questions.
Listed here are 5 that face the Rangers this offseason:
Do they want extra rotation depth?
Nicely, within the smart phrases of Chris Younger, you’ll be able to by no means have an excessive amount of beginning pitching.
If the season began as we speak, the rotation would come with Nathan Eovaldi, Max Scherzer, Andrew Heaney, Jon Grey and Dane Dunning, with Cody Bradford because the sixth arm to spherical it out. Prospects Owen White (No. 8 within the group per MLB Pipeline) and Cole Winn (No. 28) are on the 40-man roster with little to no MLB expertise.
Contemplating Eovaldi, Scherzer and Grey all hung out on the injured checklist in 2022, Texas will little question go on the lookout for extra veteran arms so as to add depth to the rotation.
The Rangers’ largest level of emphasis will doubtless be re-signing Jordan Montgomery, whom Texas acquired on the Commerce Deadline for a package deal of prospects. Montgomery went 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 regular-season begins and 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA in six postseason video games (5 begins). Including him again to the rotation will alleviate the stress that comes with a scarcity of depth coming into Spring Coaching.
What are they going to do in regards to the again of the bullpen? The entrance of the bullpen? Actually, the complete bullpen?
The Rangers’ bullpen will want a large facelift; there’s no getting round it. Within the common season, Texas had the offense to beat a traditionally unhealthy high-leverage bullpen, which blew extra saves than it transformed. Within the postseason, supervisor Bruce Bochy primarily rode three high-leverage arms — José Leclerc, Aroldis Chapman and Josh Sborz — to the first World Sequence title in franchise historical past.
Chapman is a free agent, so at finest, the Rangers go into the winter with 4 relievers they’ll belief should you embody Jonathan Hernández and Brett Martin, each of whom ended the season on the injured checklist.
Whether or not through free company or commerce, the entrance workplace will little question look to fortify the bullpen going into 2024.
Will they be in on the Shohei sweepstakes?
The actual query is who isn’t in on the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes. The 2-way celebrity was named the AL MVP in 2021 and is the favourite to win it this yr, regardless of his season ending a month early with a UCL tear.
Ohtani is anticipated to be able to hit on Opening Day 2024, however he received’t pitch till ‘25. He is the largest star available on the market this offseason and can have no scarcity of suitors. Texas is in want of a DH, and it might be sensible to at the very least test in on a participant who may make the reigning champs even higher.
How quickly will Wyatt Langford develop into an choice?
Langford, the No. 4 total select of the College of Florida within the 2023 MLB Draft, finds himself knocking on the door of the large leagues lower than six months after competing within the Faculty World Sequence.
The Rangers’ high prospect not named Evan Carter, Langford jumped throughout 4 ranges of the Minors and completed scorching in Triple-A to finish the common season.
Rookie (three video games): .385/.429/.846/1.275
Excessive-A Hickory (24 video games): .333/.453/.644/1.097
Double-A Frisco (12 video games): .405/.519/.762/1.281
Triple-A Spherical Rock (5 video games): .368/.538/.526/1.064
The Rangers are set within the outfield because it stands with Carter, Leody Taveras and Adolis García, plus utilitymen Ezequiel Duran and Josh Smith coming off the bench, however Langford may little question play his manner into Arlington as quickly as Opening Day.
Texas received’t rush the 21-year-old, however he’s proven no concern at each stage of the sport thus far. If he’s prepared, he’ll allow them to know.
Will the DH spot be stuffed internally or externally?
Talking of prospects, one other under-the-radar choice who may make himself recognized come Spring Coaching is 2020 first-round Draft decide Justin Foscue. The infielder hit .266 with an .862 OPS with Triple-A Spherical Rock in 2023 and impressed in massive league Spring Coaching going into the season.
With Mitch Garver, Brad Miller and Robbie Grossman — who mixed for 118 video games at DH this season — changing into free brokers, the Rangers will look so as to add at the very least one bat to an already potent lineup. That would come internally — Foscue, Duran, and so forth. — or externally, although it’s a reasonably weak free-agent class on the hitter facet.
Whereas Foscue and Duran may present high quality at-bats, Texas would doubtless be extra snug with a strong and confirmed choice at designated hitter come Opening Day and can proceed to go looking externally for a essential DH choice.