Texas Rangers Decide to Pass on Cashner, Napoli, and Gomez

The off-season has started for the Texas Rangers, and they’ve already made some moves that will impact the 2018 roster. Was passing on Andrew Cashner, Carlos Gomez, and Napoli a smart idea?

According to T.R. Sullivan, the Texas Rangers have announced that they will not be offering starter Andrew Cashner a qualifying offer. The organization also decided to pass on outfielder Carlos Gomez, and decline the $11 million team option on slugger Mike Napoli.

That is not all, the Rangers also declined the $4 million team option on reliever Tony Barnette. However, Texas did pick up the $6 million team option on lefty Martin Perez. The off-season has just started and the Rangers are already shaking up the roster.

The biggest of the moves was the organization deciding to not offer Andrew Cashner the $17.4 million qualifying offer. The Rangers now head into the 2018 season with two starters: Cole Hamels and now recently re-signed Martin Perez.

Cashner went 11-11 with a 3.40 ERA in 28 starts with Texas in 2017. He was solid despite a few disabled list stints, and was well worth the one-year $10 million deal. After that season Cashner is likely seeking a multiple year deal.

There is still a chance that Cashner returns to Texas, but not for $17 million a year. Outfielder Carlos Gomez is another player that has a chance to return, but the deal needs to make sense for Texas.

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The organization has Delino DeShields who put together a solid campaign in 2017. Gomez hit .255 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI in 105 games. Texas likely doesn’t want to commit anything long-term with Gomez.

Not surprising the organization decided to go against the $11 million Napoli deal. The slugger brings a boatload of experience, but doesn’t have much of a place on the Rangers roster. There is really no chance of Napoli returning to Texas as a player.

During 2017 Napoli hit .193 with 29 home runs and 66 RBI in 124 games. The Rangers felt Napoli didn’t bring enough to the table worth $11 million a year. The veteran slugger should land on his feet with a contending team.

The 2017 season was a rough one for reliever Tony Barnette. He went 2-1 with a 5.49 ERA in 50 games, and two saves. The 33-year-old had little success in 2017, and it’s not too surprising the organization declined his 2018 option.

The Rangers may still want to bring Barnette back in 2018, but on a much smaller deal. There is no chance Texas is giving $4 million a year to a reliever with almost a 6 ERA in 50 appearances. He was not a huge part of the bullpen regardless.

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It was a big day for the Rangers, but these were the right moves for the future of the organization. This is a good way to start the off-season, and hopefully more deals and success will come shortly.