3 starting pitchers Rangers can still target after Tyler Mahle, Tatsuya Imai signings

Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young has made it clear he is looking to add a starting pitcher this offseason, per DLLS Sports' Jeff Wilson. Two pitchers Texas could have targeted, Tyler Mahle and Tatsuya Imai, are now off the board after signing with the San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros, respectively.

Imai signed a three-year, $54 million deal with the Astros, which is likely out of Texas' price range. However, the Rangers likely could've afforded to re-sign Mahle, who will get $10 million guaranteed for one year with his deal with the Giants.

With Mahle and Imai now unavailable, here are three realistic starting pitching targets for the Rangers.

3 free agent starting pitchers Texas Rangers can still target after Tyler Mahle, Tatsuya Imai signings

RHP Justin Verlander

Verlander, who turns 43 in February, struggled at the beginning of the 2025 season but finished strong, posting a 3.85 ERA (3.85 FIP) with a 20.7% strikeout rate in 29 starts for the San Francisco Giants. Heading into his 21st MLB season, Verlander could be a solid back-of-the-rotation arm for Texas. ESPN predicts the future Hall-of-Famer will receive a one-year, $13 million deal, which is likely within Texas' price range.

RHP Max Scherzer

Like Verlander, Scherzer is a future Hall-of-Famer who will likely sign a one-year deal this offseason. He pitched with Texas from 2023-24, making just eight starts in 2023 and nine in 2024 due to injuries. He struggled for the Rangers in the 2023 ALCS, but he managed to throw three scoreless innings in Game 3 of the 2023 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Last season, Scherzer, 41, posted a 5.19 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 23 walks in 85 innings with the Toronto Blue Jays during the regular season. He had an impressive showing in ALCS Game 4 against the Seattle Mariners, allowing two earned runs on three hits and four walks with five strikeouts across 5 2/3 innings. Then, he started World Series Game 3 and 7, allowing three runs in Game 3 over 4 1/3 innings and one run in Game 7 over 4 1/3 innings. He will likely sign a one-year deal worth around $10 million, give or take a few million.

RHP Walker Buehler

Buehler is likely seeking a one-year contract this offseason, hoping to return to the version of himself who made two National League All-Star teams and sign a longer contract next offseason. The 32-year-old righty signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox last offseason and was released in August after posting an awful 5.45 ERA across 112 1/3 innings. The Philadelphia Phillies claimed him, and he allowed just one run in 13 2/3 innings with Philadelphia.

Buehler is still relatively young and has proved in the past that he can be among the league's best starting pitchers. If the Rangers can get him for one year on an affordable deal, Texas will have an All-Star-caliber pitcher for a bargain.