Globe Life Field a Major Knock Against Texas Rangers Watchability Rankings

The Texas Rangers were viewed in a very positive light heading into the 2025 MLB regular season.

An incredibly disappointing 2024 campaign in defense of their 2023 World Series title didn’t stop analysts and fans alike from believing they had championship potential this year. On paper, their roster is as good as any.

Established All-Stars are up and down their lineup: second baseman Marcus Semien, shortstop Corey Seager and right fielder Adolis Garcia.

Younger players, such as third baseman Josh Jung and catcher Jonah Heim, have already reached All-Star level, too. Left fielder Wyatt Langford isn’t far from accomplishing that feat, and their starting pitching duo of Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter both possess that kind of potential as well.

Their youth is a major reason they were ranked so highly by David Schoenfield of ESPN in the watchability power rankings he put together. It scored an eight out of 10, and with good reason.

Langford, Rocker and Leiter are an excellent foundation for the future, but they have even more young talent such as outfielder Evan Carter in the minor leagues. A wave of bullpen arms is knocking on the door of the Major Leagues as well.

Their current bullpen configuration does leave a little bit to be desired.

The team loaded up on depth pieces in the offseason with Kirby Yates, David Roberston, Jose Leclerc and Andrew Chafin all hitting free agency. But they didn’t bring in a bona fide closer, giving the job to Luke Jackson out of the gate.

That will be something worth keeping an eye on as the season moves along. A trade deadline acquisition for the back end of the bullpen should be atop their to-do list.

Despite some shaky performances out of the bullpen, the Rangers are still 9-7 to start the season. There are a lot of reasons to be excited about the team and for fans to tune in and watch.

But there is one thing holding them back in the watchability rankings that Schoefield shared: their home ballpark.

“The biggest knock against watching the Rangers: Watching a game played at Globe Life Field is like watching baseball played in an airplane hangar,” Schoenfield wrote.

The product on the field is incredibly important to watchability. Normally, the better a team is, the more watchable they are.

But the ballpark experience is a big part of the watchability equation and as Schoenfield shared, Globe Life Park falls short in that regard.