Texas Rangers: Possible Free Agent Signings For 2018

The Texas Rangers are looking bulk up for next season. They’re hoping to quickly become a strong team soon so they can once again be a team that can make it to the World Series. The Rangers need to be active in free agency but at the same time be careful with who they sign and for how much.

As we know, there’s no salary cap in baseball so a team can pay a player whatever he demands if they want him so bad. In the Texas Rangers’ case, they can’t play it like that. They’re already paying loads to Shin-Soo Choo, Elvis Andrus, and even to Prince Fielder who’s no longer with the team and is in retirement.

Pitching is the biggest thing the Rangers want to fix.  They traded Yu Darvish to Los Angeles during the season and Rangers fans really want him back. There’s no doubt, the Rangers want Darvish back and Darvish himself would be happy to return to Arlington, however, his demands will no doubt be very high. Back in 2012, Darvish’s demands made things difficult and this time, the demands may be ten times more difficult.

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As far as pitching goes in free agency, Jake Arrieta is another name the Rangers can pursue. If San Francisco decides not to pick Madison Bumgarner’s option for 2018, he’ll be a free agent and it’d  be big if he was to come to Arlington. San Francisco’s probably likely to pick up Bumgarner’s option, but anything can happen.

Whatever opportunities are out there for the Rangers, they’ll need to examine each one very carefully. In the case that Bumgarner becomes a free agent, he’d be a good fit in Arlington, however, with him being a three-time World Series champion and the 2014 World Series MVP, his demands will be high. Same thing with Arrieta.

The outfield position may need some addressing, too. There’s a possibility that Carlos Gomez will be signing elsewhere. Lorenzo Cain for a while now has been regarded as a good signing. Willie Calhoun and Nomar Mazara may learn a lot from him.

The Rangers will need to take free agency very seriously this off-season.