What Is The Texas Rangers Next Step This Offseason?

Now that the Texas Rangers have their manager at the helm, what is their next step this offseason as an organization?

The Texas Rangers finally have their new manager in Chris Woodward after what seemed like an eternity between the firing of Jeff Banister in September and the club announcement on Friday. Without a doubt, that was the biggest hurdle facing the team this offseason as they looked to lock in a leader who could help guide them through this rebuild and find a new identity as a club. So now that Woodward is in, what’s the next step?

How Long Before We’re Competing Again?

This is the question everybody is asking this offseason and its the biggest decision facing the club now. How long are we expecting the rebuild to take before we compete again? This is a question that Jon Daniels, and now Chris Woodward, will work to answer together. While we already know that we’re locked into at least some sort of rebuild, but is this a 2-year deal or 5-year rebuild. The answer to that will dictate the rest of the offseason for the organization.

The Rangers already made their first acquisition of the offseason bringing in Drew Smyly from the Chicago Cubs along with a PTBNL in exchange for a PTBNL. Smyly was a casualty of the Cubs picking up Cole Hamels $20 million option for next season and was moved out to free up some cash. Along with Smyly’s acquisition, the Cubs picking up Hamels’ option also means the Rangers aren’t on the hook for his $6 million buyout saving them some money as well. Our own, Travis Koch, broke down the deal for Smyly this weekend.

While many fans will recognize Smyly as a talented left-handed pitcher, he is two years removed from the mound having missed 2017 and 2018 due to Tommy John surgery. This deal signals that the Rangers are willing to take on some salary in hopes of finding some diamonds in the rough but does it really foreshadow the rest of the offseason?

Looking at the free agents on the market this offseason, Texas isn’t going all in by chasing Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, not that they’d have a shot anyways. But there are a few high-caliber starting pitchers out there this offseason which is exactly what the Rangers need to work their way back into the playoff discussion. With names like Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel headlining this year’s free agent class, Jon Daniels will have to decide whether he’s ready to make the financial commitment necessary to reel in these prized starters.

We’ll learn what decision the Texas Rangers have made when the free agency market heats up later this winter. Additionally, if Texas decides to make any trades with current players, we’ll be able to tell what kind of timeline they’ve put on this rebuild. While we all hope it can be accelerated, it’s more likely that we’re looking at an extended rebuild with hopes of completely revamping the organization from top to bottom.