3 free agents the Texas Rangers already need to be thinking about in 2022

Noah Syndergaard

He’ll be Los Angeles Angels property in 2022 after signing a one-year, $25 million pact with them prior to the lockout, but he returns to the open market after the season.

After sitting out 2020 and almost all of 2021 due to Tommy John surgery, tossing just two innings in that span, “Thor” has a lot to prove in Anaheim this year. There’s no reason to believe he won’t be capable of proving himself given his electric stuff and alpha personality on the mound, but it was a risk to hand him so much money, anyway, even if on just a one-year deal.

That’s not the kind of risk the Texas Rangers could afford to take. If the plan was to contend this season, perhaps a flyer on Syndergaard would’ve been acceptable, but not right now. The Rangers need dependable innings after lacking badly in that department last season.

But assuming Syndergaard dominates with the Angels? Well that’s a different story.

Like current free agent target Clayton Kershaw, Thor hails from the Dallas area and would probably relish the idea of pitching at home. Texas would also be in much better position to offer him a chance to win in 2023, which has to be appealing as well.

Syndergaard’s power pitching would mesh well with Jon Gray’s stability and the promise of young guys like Cole Winn and Jack Leiter to create a dynamic starting five for the Rangers.