Three questions facing the Texas Rangers this offseason

The Texas Rangers made a solid attempt at reaching the postseason.

Their direction at the trade deadline was in question at the All-Star break as the Rangers had a 48-49 record. A strong start to the second half, where Texas won eight of its first nine games, led to the Rangers adding pieces at the trade deadline. A disastrous eight-game losing streak, as they lost 11 of their final 13 games, dashed those postseason dreams.

The Rangers enter the offseason with more questions than answers. While the Rangers have a young star in outfielder Wyatt Langford, most key players are on the wrong side of 30 years old. The Rangers are built to win now, and with their additions at the trade deadline, their farm system does not have many players knocking on the major league door. Their margin for error is razor-thin as the Rangers look to keep their window of contention open. Let's look at three questions for the Rangers this offseason.

Three questions facing the Texas Rangers heading into the offseason

1. Do the Rangers have enough in the rotation?

In theory, Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi are a strong 1-2 punch atop any rotation. The 37-year-old deGrom threw for more than 100 innings and made 30 starts for the first time since 2019. Eovaldi had dominated when healthy, as he missed time with right elbow inflammation before being shut down for the year on Aug. 27 with a strained right rotator cuff. He has thrown more than 145 innings twice since 2015 due to a laundry list of injuries.

Likewise, the rest of the rotation has question marks. Tyler Mahle made just 16 starts due to a lengthy stint on the Injured List with right shoulder fatigue. Kumar Rocker was inconsistent at best, getting rocked to a 5.74 ERA and a 1.461 WHiP. Jack Leiter was solid, but command issues limit his upside. As the farm system does not offer much in the way of talent approaching the majors, the Rangers may need to aggressively seek to improve the rotation to return to contention.

2. Who is the answer in the ninth inning?

Despite remaining in the playoff hunt until the final days of the season, the back of the Rangers' bullpen was unsettled throughout the year. Nine different pitchers recorded a save while Shawn Armstrong, Robert Garcia and Luke Jackson tied for the team lead with nine. Jackson struggled with the Rangers before being released on July 24, ultimately landing with the Mariners on Aug. 21.

Closers Kenley Jansen and Raisel Iglesias would be stopgap options at best for the Rangers. Mets closer Edwin Diaz, who is expected to opt out of the remaining two years and $37M on his contract, would be the elite closer the Rangers are missing, but he will be expensive. Rocker could be a potential option as well if the Rangers make an addition to the rotation; he allowed a .247/.307/.432 batting line with five walks and 19 strikeouts in his first 25 pitches last season.

3. Is it time to walk away from Adolis Garcia?

A two-time All-Star, Garcia had been an important part of the Rangers lineup, averaging a .245/.305/.472 batting line with 32 homers and 99 RBI between 2021 and 2023. However, Garcia has not been the same player over the past two seasons, posting a combined .225/.278/.397 batting line with 44 homers and 55 doubles over his 1184 plate appearances.

Garcia, who earned $9.25M in 2025, is set to enter arbitration for the third and final time. MLB Trade Rumors projects Garcia to earn $12.1M in arbitration, a significant sum for a player who has struggled over the past two seasons. The Rangers may be able to find better and less expensive options in free agency. Likewise, if the Rangers want to bring Garcia back, he may be less expensive on the open market.