Building the Texas Rangers 2026 dream lineup for offensive resurgence

The Texas Rangers saw a miserable 2025 season from the offensive standpoint saw an 81-81 season and the second-straight missed postseason after reaching the mountain top of Major League Baseball.

Going into the winter, Texas will be need to operate within the parameters of what may given the amount of money Ray Davis and the Rangers are willing to spend.

All that in mind, we've compiled what would be a dream lineup for 2026. The Rangers were at best inconsistent at the plate last season, and this lineup would be a vast improvement from top to bottom. to begin the Skip Schumaker era.

Building the Texas Rangers 2026 dream lineup for offensive resurgence

Luis Arraez, 1B

Arraez is an old-school contact hitter who rarely strikes out. His career batting average of .317 proves he is an elite hitter with gap power. With his career .363 OBP, he would be a solid option at the top of the order.

Wyatt Langford, LF

With an elite combination of power and speed, Langford's upward trajectory and ever-evolving plate discipline would be perfect in the second spot. He has power to all fields and is a threat to go deep anytime, spotting the Rangers an early lead.

Corey Seager, SS

We've seen enough of Seager in the two-hole over the last two seasons to recognize it's high time to move the team's best overall hitter back into the traditional three slot. Seager has prodigious power and can hit for average, which sounds like a three-hole hitter to us.

Jake Burger, DH

Continuing with the left/right/left/right-handed batters at the top of the order. Burger's commitment to putting together better at-bats in 2026 and his raw power to all fields make him an ideal cleanup candidate.

Nick Castellanos, RF

Another player who will likely be looking for a new home next season, Castellanos is an underrated right-handed bat who hits for a solid average and has plenty of pop to be in the heart of the lineup in big RBI spots. Davis and Chris Young should prioritize both Castellanos and Arraez this winter.

Marcus Semien, 2B

Semien struggled for most of 2025, and Bruce Bochy moved him around the lineup frequently to find the veteran Gold Glover a comfortable spot in the lineup. Semien is a dead pull hitter who, despite his age, still runs well, and his day-in, day-out professionalism and availability keep him in the lineup at sixth.

Victor Caratini, C

The Astros' free agent may not be the biggest name out there, but the organization has to move on from Jonah Heim, and this is a "dream" lineup, right? Caratini handles pitching staffs well and would be a significant upgrade over Heim at the plate. He and Kyle Higashioka would platoon well together next season.

Josh Jung, 3B

Jung's rollercoaster of a season at the plate in 2025 made most of the Rangers' fanbase a bit queasy at times. Jung was feast or famine in a campaign that included a trip to the minors and a benching to go with several sizzling streaks of solid output. He is in the 8th spot, but he knows that he is on a very short leash and must improve his consistency.

Evan Carter, CF

Evan "Full count" Carter is a prototypical nine hitter who has plus plate discipline. He walks a lot, which helps roll the lineup over, has good power, and possesses excellent speed. Carter would be an ideal leadoff hitter if he put the ball in play more often and could stay healthy. His fragility makes him a player who isn't dependable, but his potential keeps him at the bottom of the lineup card.

Josh Smith, UT

Skip Schumaker will look to insert a lefty in the lineup wherever he can, and with the Rangers' propensity to get injured, Smith's versatility makes him one of the top utility men in baseball. Smith, who typically has a good eye at the plate and has shown good power, is the perfect fit. You could switch him out with Carter should the oft-injured outfielder find his way back onto the IL.