3 upcoming Rangers free agents that needs to re-sign at all costs

Even though the Texas Rangers are in the thick of the playoff race with just 11 games left in the regular season, the 2025 season still is almost coming to an end. Once it ends, it will only feel like a few weeks until the Rangers are back in surprise for spring training next March.

That leaves a lot of decisions left to be made for President of Baseball Operations Chris Young and the rest of the Rangers' front office. The Rangers will potentially lose ten players to the free agent market this winter and choices on who to re-sign will haunt CY.

While we addressed three players Texas should pass on, here are three that need to re-signed, no matter the cost in doing so.

3 upcoming Rangers free agents that needs to re-sign at all costs

Patrick Corbin, LHP

Say all you want about Corbin but the 36-year-old veteran southpaw has done everything he could for Texas and more this season to hold down the backend of the Rangers' rotation.

Corbin only signed with Texas right before Opening Day due to the spring training injuries to Jon Gray and Cody Bradford. No one was happy about the signing as Corbin had been arguably one of the worst big league pitchers in recent seasons.

While his numbers don't jump off the page, Corbin has pitched 146 2/3 innings this year, with at least two starts left on his ledger for the season. In those innings, he's 7-9 with a 4.23 ERA, 124 strikeouts and a 1.34 WHIP.

There's no telling what the rotation will look like in 2026 but Corbin would provide much needed length in the back of the rotation and is likely to stay healthy most of the year. He won't require a ton of money so I believe the value he offers for the price is well worth it.

Phil Maton, RHP

Maton joined Texas at the trade deadline from Texas and despite a few early rough outings, the right-hander has been one of the most valuable, level-headed bullpen options for Bruce Bochy in the second-half of the year.

Although he has a worse ERA this season with Texas (3.93) then he did with St. Louis (2.35), Maton has given Texas a lot of valuable late-inning heroics in his 18 1/3 innings. He's limiting hitters to a .177 batting average and his 0.98 WHIP is second-lowest among active Rangers' arms.

Not to mention, he is emotionless, which gives him a lot of calm on the mound. He's come in and gotten some clutch outs late, including the last 6 1/3 innings against the Astros, Brewers and Mets where he only surrendered one run.

Maton will be coveted at the deadline by various teams but I say, if he's enjoyed his time in Texas, he's too important to lose in the backend of the pen.

Hoby Milner, LHP

This one could get a lot of flack because Milner has been so up-and-down, especially in the eyes of the fanbase this season.

Sometimes the lefty looks like one of the most untouchable relievers in Major League Baseball and other times it looks like he is serving up batting practice balls. But with such a huge value being placed on left-handed bullpen arms, Texas needs to grab him off the free agent market.

In 68 games, Milner has thrown the most games of any Texas bullpen arm this season. That also translates to the second-most only reliever innings thrown, trailing just Shawn Armstrong. Milner has a 3.51 ERA and 55 strikeouts in those outings but has faltered over his last seven games, surrendering seven earned runs in that time.

Regardless, Milner will still get a lot of attention this winter and Texas needs to be active and teaming him up with Maton for experienced backend bullpen arms. He signed a one-year deal with Texas this past winter for $2.5 million and don't imagine it taking more than that to get him to return next year.