Despite offensive struggles in 2025, Rangers defense was the golden standard

Of all the time we spent since April talking about the struggles the Texas Rangers faced on offense throughout the 2025 season, their defense was nothing short of spectacular and they have hardware to showcase it.

The Rangers won the sixth ever Rawling's American League Gold Glove Team Award, given to two teams each year (AL and NL) to highlight the best defensive team throughout the regular season. This was Texas's first time winning the award.

Texas also received five individual Gold Glove nominations in 2025 but only second baseman Marcus Semien was able to come away with the award. The other four: Jacob deGrom, Corey Seager, Adolsi Garcia and Wyatt Langford had great seasons but lost out at their respective positions.

Rangers defense always been lights out, team Gold Glove proves it

The Texas Rangers have always been solid defensively but when the Bruce Bochy era began in 2023, the defense took a giant step forward. Mostly due to the terrifics of Garcia and one of the best defensive middle infieldes in Seager and Semien.

In their World Series season, the Rangers had a .990 fielding percentage with three players winning individual awards: Jonah Heim (C), Nathaniel Lowe (1B) and Garcia (RF). They also only committed only 57 errors, the second-best in MLB behind their World Series counterparts in Arizona with only one less.

Even in 2024, they were one of the top defenses in baseball finishing fourth-best in fielding percentage (.987) and errors (73).

This season, Texas somehow topped that showing with an all-time single-season record fielding percentage in MLB history with a .991 fielding percentage and lead MLB with 89 defensive runs saved, the most by any Rangers' team since the Statcast Era began in 2002.

To add to the marvel, the Rangers only committed 51 errors, which was the fewest in club history and was 11 less than the next closest team this season. This run included a 19-game errorless streak from Aug. 13 to Sept. 9.

Who led the Rangers defensive display in 2025?

As mentioned, deGrom, Semien, Seager, Langford and Garcia all received Gold Glove nominations this season.

Starting with Semien, the winner of the 2B AL Gold Glove this season, Semien recorded a career-high .996 fielding percentage which led all of the AL second baseman and contributed five defensive runs saved (DRS) and seven outs above-average.

Garcia led all MLB right fielders with 16 DRS, Langford's 12 DRS were second-most among AL left fielders behind Steven Kwan, Seager recorded a .988 fielding percentage and 16 DRS while deGrom did not commit an error in 31 total chances this season.

Outside of the nominees, it's important to point out what a good display they put on elsewhere. For example, utility man Josh Smith played seven defensive positions across the diamond in over 3,000 innings on the field.

While it's hard to find silver linings in a rather upsetting 81-81 season for Texas in 2025, it's important that Rangers' fans recognize the stellar display they put on while on defense this season. As a reminder that it's not all bad and needs to be fixed heading into next year.