Three Pitchers That Could Solve the Rangers Closer Problem

It has only been three games into the 2026 season, and the Rangers already have an old problem on their hands.

Three Pitchers That Could Solve the Rangers Closer Problem

They don’t have a reliable closer to go to. Robert Garcia and Chris Martin were seen as the solutions, and President of Baseball Operations Chris Young said they were the guys.

They faltered in their first chance to close a game. Garcia entered first with a 3-0 lead and got the first two outs quickly. That’s when things went downhill for him.

He allowed a single and a walk, then was pulled for Martin. He wasn’t much better. Martin allowed the next two hitters to double and single, tying the game.

Ultimately, the Rangers won the game, so this didn’t factor in too much, but this is a sign that neither can close games. This is not a new problem for the Rangers.

In the past few years, they have gone with the approach of closer-by-committee. It has had mixed results. Dating back to 2023, they have converted 106 saves in 188 chances, which is good for a 56 percent save percentage.

That shows that it has pretty much been a coin flip whenever the closer enters for them. This year has looked no different.

However, the other arms in the bullpen have been great, allowing just one run in 16 innings, good for a 0.56 ERA, including a bullpen game on Saturday headlined by Jacob Latz that was a shutout until Garcia entered.

This is to say that several arms could step into the closer role. It is just a matter of finding the right guy, and I believe that they have him on the roster.

Cole Winn

A fan favorite from last year, Cole Winn has established himself as a high-leverage arm for the Rangers. He worked out of a bases-loaded threat in the second game to keep the Rangers in front and limited the damage to one run in the finale when MacKenzie Gore loaded the bases with one out.

You can tell he has earned Skip Schumaker’s trust. If he is already pitching in these big situations and succeeding, then it seems like he would be a great fit for the closer role.

Yet there may be some fans who could be against it for two reasons. Winn is still pretty green and hasn’t spent much time as a reliever, with last year being his big breakout. The second reason is that he could provide good value as a long-armed reliever, able to throw multiple innings.

Although Winn has rarely thrown multiple innings, in his time as a bullpen arm, he has done so in only five appearances. So he hasn’t been used as a long arm, despite his minor-league starter experience.

He has shown his ability to get out of big situations, but I also understand wanting to keep Winn as a guy to bring in if there is a jam.

Tyler Alexander

This is the guy who has the only save this year for the Rangers. Tyler Alexander was good in extra innings as he limited the Phillies to one run via the ghost runner.

He has been a solid arm in his MLB career, switching between relief and starting roles. He has posted ERAs in the 3’s and 4’s throughout his career. It is unlikely that he will be the team’s closer due to his versatility.

Though really, anything is up in the air with the bullpen, and he looked good in his opportunity to close the game.

Carter Baumler

Carter Baumler turned heads in Spring Training. He didn’t allow a run in 9 and 1/3 innings with 2 walks against 10 strikeouts. He is a Rule 5 pick that the Rangers selected this offseason and hasn’t pitched above Double-A.

Baumler has had his ups and downs since the season started. He has been the one bullpen arm to allow a run; the main reason for this is his control.

He has issued five walks compared to three strikeouts. I would blame this on his nerves as a young guy who is getting his chance in the major leagues. Yet, he showed why he could be a good choice as a closer when he worked out of a jam against the Phillies.

He started the inning off by walking the first two hitters, but then he made the most out of his curveball, getting Justin Crawford to strike out and Trea Turner to ground into a double play.

I think that once Baumler works through his nerves a bit, he could be a great closer for the Rangers.

The Last Word

The Rangers need to hand the closer job to someone else before it becomes a problem for them again. These are some of the top options that they can turn to.