3 solutions to fix the dreadful 2022 Texas Rangers pitching staff

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out this glaring problem: the Texas Rangers have an awful pitching staff in this young season so far.

Yeah, it’s been ugly for the Rangers on the mound in 2022. Their best starter, Jon Gray, has spent the last week on the Injured List with a blister, and those who have had to pick up the slack in his place have not performed well, to say the least. And that doesn’t just describe those members of the starting rotation: it also applies to the bullpen, which has been adept at blowing large cushions provided by a decent lineup.

The stat sheet is unflattering, to say the least.

Sure, we’re only nine games in. The Texas Rangers stand at 2-7 in those games, compared to 3-6 at this same moment a year ago. But even with Jon Gray returning this week, there’s no guarantees about the rest of this staff. It’s clear that if the Rangers seek further improvement in 2022, they’ll need help doing so.

Here are three solutions to help fix this beleaguered staff.

3 solutions to fix the dreadful Texas Rangers pitching staff

1. Give Glenn Otto and/or A.J. Alexy another shot

It can’t hurt, right?

Glenn Otto and A.J. Alexy both saw big league time in 2021, and each with varying degrees of success. And though neither pitcher broke camp with the Texas Rangers in 2022, that doesn’t minimize their ability to impact this pitching staff positively.

Speaking to this point, Otto currently has a 0.00 ERA in two starts at AAA Round Rock. Alexy has a 5.14 ERA, so maybe it’s best for him to remain in AAA for now, but he did have a 4.70 ERA at the big league level in 2021.

Both Otto and Alexy have demonstrated they can pitch at the game’s highest level. Neither can be worse than what the Texas Rangers are getting out of their current pitchers.

3 solutions to fix the dreadful Texas Rangers pitching staff

3. Trade for a starting pitcher

Signing Jon Gray in the off-season was great and all, but think of him as replacing first-half Kyle Gibson in 2021, who went on to be a 2021 All-Star before being traded to Philadelphia. Gibby posted a sub-3 ERA, and Gray can be expected to post a high 3/low 4 ERA this season.

So where’s the additional improvement? It hasn’t come from within yet. Dane Dunning has really struggled early on, Taylor Hearn has looked sharp at times but not consistently, Spencer Howard is injured and has also looked bad so far. And no one is exactly afraid of Martin Perez, though I suppose he’s an upgrade from homer-happy Jordan Lyles and Mike Foltynewicz.

This all leads to an obvious conclusion: the Texas Rangers need to find another upgrade for their rotation. Maybe that’s Franke Montas of the A’s, maybe that’s one of the Marlins’ young arms, or someone else outside the organization.

If we’re being honest, this is work the Rangers should’ve done during the off-season, but in case the team’s pitching performance early in 2022 hasn’t set off any alarm bells yet, it should.

The pitching prospects on the way like Cole Winn and Jack Leiter will be great, if developed properly. But putting so much pressure on them as to be saviors upon their arrivals to Arlington? Yeah I don’t like that so much.

Get this team the pitching help it needs!