Rangers Options to Trim Payroll Limited Without Making Major Moves

Six veteran players make up the $149.7 million — pitcher Jacob deGrom, shortstop Corey Seager, pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, second baseman Marcus Semien, designated hitter Joc Pederson and catcher Kyle Higashioka. Only Higashioka makes less than $10 million. Pederson has a player option worth $18.5 million, and after his awful 2025 he will likely trigger it.

Moving any of those players would trim significantly from the Rangers’ payroll. But it would also hurt the team’s chances in 2026, and Young says the team intends to be contenders even with a lighter payroll and managerial change. So where else can Texas trim?

The Rangers can trim from their salary arbitration-eligible players in one of two ways. Texas can either trade them or non-tender them, the latter of which is a way for the Rangers to tell the player they don’t intend to offer them a contract for 2026 and removes them from the 40-man roster.

Texas did this a season ago with first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. The Rangers dealt him to the Washington Nationals for pitcher Robert Garcia, who is a pre-arbitration player. The move saved Texas approximately $10 million.

Two players fit that description — right fielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim. Garcia is due a projected $12.75 million in 2026, his final year of team control before he can be a free agent. He was a rumored trade chip at the deadline but after the Rangers got back in the playoff race that cooled. Texas would rather get something in return for him rather than non-tender him. But if it’s about the money, Texas could just let him go.

Heim is in his final year of team control and is expected to command an estimated $6 million in a projected deal to avoid arbitration. Texas could non-tender him, but the organization depth at his position is lacking. A trade might be more likely, one that brings in a catcher and sends Heim elsewhere.

No other arbitration-eligible player is expected to command more than $3 million. Even if Texas moved Garcia and Heim, it would only save approximately $19 million. Is that enough?

It may not be for owner Ray Davis, who has spent at or above the CBT each of the last three seasons in pursuit of a championship. That’s why, if the Rangers are interested in saving more, they’ll have to make a bigger move with one of their high-paid veteran players to make that happen.