Four Bright Spots for the 2025 Texas Rangers

Four Bright Spots for the 2025 Texas Rangers

Jacob deGrom Stayed Healthy

When the Rangers signed Jacob deGrom, the biggest concern was his inability to stay healthy, as he pitched less than 100 innings in each of his last three years of his tenure with the New York Mets. That concern quickly became a reality, as he needed Tommy John surgery only after 30 innings in 2023. It would limit him to only 10 innings in 2024. 

Fans’ faith in deGrom’s health stayed low, as there was always a lingering possibility that he could make another trip to the injured list. deGrom set a goal before the season that many fans thought of as unrealistic. 

He put those doubts to rest as he made 30 starts, logging 172 2/3 innings in the 2025 season. He was the ace that the Rangers needed as he earned an All-Star nod with a 2.97 ERA with 185 strikeouts compared to 37 walks. deGrom did have a bit of trouble with the home run ball as he allowed 26 homers, the second most in his career, only trailing 2017 when he gave up 28. 

One possible way he stayed healthy was by not throwing as hard. He would still hit 100 on his fastball, but would do it less often compared to previous years. TThis put less strain on his body. 

deGrom will most likely be the American League Comeback Player of the Year as he stayed healthy and logged the most innings since 2019. This is the Jacob deGrom of old, and he is showing why the Rangers paid him so much money. 

Jack Leiter Showed Major Improvement

Jack Leiter had a rough go of it when he first saw major league action in 2024. He went winless with a 0-3 record and an 8.83 ERA. He would have trouble with his command, giving up 17 walks compared to 31 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings. It seemed like the former second overall pick wasn’t going to pan out the way the Rangers thought. 

The thought was that Leiter would either work out of the bullpen or would start in Triple-A to work on his mechanics. That didn’t turn out to be the case, as he was pushed into action due to injuries to Cody Bradford and Jon Gray. This gave Leiter a spot in the starting rotation, and he held onto it for most of the year. 

 Leiter took a big step forward for the Rangers and was a mainstay in the rotation. Only injuries kept him out for a few starts. He finished the year with a 10-10 record and a 3.86 ERA with 148 strikeouts and 67 walks. 

 There were ups and downs for the young righty, with starts where he would struggle with his command and get shelled, while he had other starts where he would flash his upside and strike out 10+ hitters.

 Leiter is still a work in progress, but he has taken a big step forward from last year, and he will look to build on it next year. 

Discovering a Pair of Young Bullpen Arms

The Rangers had an unlikely pair of pitchers play a big role in the bullpen this year. Former starter Cole Winn was great out of the bullpen with a 1.51 ERA in 41 2/3 innings with 17 walks and 35 strikeouts. The righty proved to be better there than as a starter and really found his groove, giving the Rangers big innings. 

The other pitcher was lefty Jake Latz, who may have played himself out of the bullpen next year. Latz worked as the long man in the bullpen and would be the starter in bullpen games, working anywhere from three to seven innings. He had a 2.84 ERA in 85 2/3 innings with 37 walks and 76 strikeouts. 

These two could be staples in the bullpen for years to come due to their ages and the years of control that the team has over them. 

Wyatt Langford Continues to Improve

Now we move over to the hitting side, so Rangers fans have something good to point toward on the offensive end, especially after this season. Wyatt Langford continues to grow, and while he didn’t have the mega breakout that a lot of fans were expecting, he is still young. 

He posted a .241 batting average with 22 home runs and 62 RBI, along with 22 stolen bases. Langford also posted 5.6 WAR, speaking to his excellent defense. He should only build on this year, and if he looks better for the Rangers next year, he might get his first All-Star nod.