Texas Rangers: 3 Players That Deserve Contract Extensions

The future of the Rangers organization is still unclear, but regardless the team has multiple veteran players that are pending free agents. The Rangers can’t re-sign them all, so which players deserve contract extensions?

After back-to-back division titles the Texas Rangers have taken a hit in 2017. The Rangers are still in the playoff race, but saying this season has been disappointing is an understatement. General Manager Jon Daniels has less than a month to decide to fate of the Rangers.

On one hand the Rangers have multiple veteran players that could draw interest from contending organizations. The flip side is that Texas could be a couple of additions away from being legitimate contenders themselves.

This off-season the Ranges could potentially lose Yu Darvish, Jonathan Lucroy, Carlos Gomez, Mike Napoli, Tyson Ross and more. The payroll just isn’t big enough to sign all these pending free agents.

Jon Daniels must make a decision on which players he wants to keep and which should be trade bait at the deadline. The team could always re-sign a player in the off-season after trading them, but it seems unlikely that will be the strategy for Texas.

It’s only halfway through the season and there is still plenty of baseball to be played. Just for fun, which Rangers deserve to get contract extensions at the end of the season?

This one seems like a no-brainer as someone who must be re-signed. Based on his performance in 2017, starter Yu Darvish definitely has earned a contract extension. The Rangers will have to pay a high price tag, but Darvish is well worth it.

The four-time All-Star has been fantastic when healthy. The 30-year-old is arguably one of the best pitchers in the MLB, and is a fan favorite in Texas. This season Darvish is 6-7 with a 3.56 ERA in 18 starts.

In 2012 the Rangers signed Darvish to a six-year $56 million deal out of Japan. This off-season Darvish is going to easily double his original contract. An estimated deal for Darvish is likely six years $150 million this off-season.

Over the course of five MLB seasons Darvish is 52-37 with a 3.33 ERA and nearly 1000 strikeouts. The only thing that was held him back are injuries and Darvish looks healthy and ready to lead a rotation.

Giving $150 million to one player is a hefty price to pay, but if the Rangers want to win they will do it. A hometown discount is unlikely, but Darvish will give Texas an opportunity to make an offer. If Jon Daniels is serious about contending then he’ll re-sign Darvish.

The Rangers could still trade Darvish at the trade deadline and re-sign him in the off-season. It’s a business and if Jon Daniels feels he can score a good return on Darvish he’ll take it. It’s unlikely the Rangers go this route, but we’ll see where the Rangers are in the standings in a couple of weeks.

Outfielder Carlos Gomez could take a similar route of Ian Desmond in 2017. Taking a one-year deal in the off-season, and rebuilding his stock for a chance at a big pay-day. That certainly paid off for Desmond as he scored a five-year $70 million deal with the Colorado Rockies.

Instead of letting Gomez walk the Rangers should consider giving him an extension. The 31-year-old is putting together a strong season, and could fit in the Rangers future plans. Gomez has bounced back and the Rangers should take advantage of it.

This season Gomez is hitting .250 with 12 home runs and 32 RBI in 57 games. He’s seen time on the disabled list, but when healthy he’s electric on the field. The power is back with 12 homers already and Gomez hit 13 all last season.

The Rangers signed Gomez to a one-year $11.5 million deal in the off-season. That was when Gomez was coming off a bad year. His value has gone up, but he could still be affordable for Texas.

If Gomez continues to succeed this season he’ll likely look for a similar deal to Desmond this off-season. Health is always a concern for Gomez and Desmond has been better is that category. Regardless Gomez is likely to score a four-year $50-55 million deal this off-season.

It could be higher or possibly lower depending on his second half of the season. Also how many outfielders are available will determine his value on the free agent market. The Rangers should go after Gomez if he’s only asking $12-13 million a year. He’s proven his value, and could be an asset to the future of the organization.