Grading the Rangers' offseason moves after a rough first quarter

Every offseason brings with it a handful of moves that hopefully fill the needs of the team for the upcoming season. After last year, it was Chris Young and the front office's determination that the Rangers needed some more long ball threats on offense and a re-tooled bullpen that would give manager Bruce Bochy a little more versatility in the late innings so he can continue his end-of-game magic.

Well, enough time and games have come and gone in 2025 that it is time for the team to receive first-quarter grades on each of these new pieces and how they have fared so far.

Grading the Rangers position players and starting pitchers after 48 games

Nathan Eovaldi, SP

Grade : A+

If the Rangers were going to get back to the postseason they had to get the key rotation piece back in the fold. Give the Rangers credit for ponying up $75 million for three years to ensure that he will be a cornerstone for the foreseeable future.

Joc Pederson, 1B/DH

Grade: F

Pederson was given a nice deal to come to Arlington, and produce to the tune of .240 with 20 HRs and 75 RBIs. What they have received through the first quarter is a new organizational record for futility with an 0-41 slump, 2 HR, 6 RBI, and a minuscule .130 average.

Jake Burger, 1B

Grade: C-

Burger struggled to begin the year that the organization decided to send him down to Triple-A for six games. He's been better since his return with some big hits and barreling the ball more consistently, but he has a dug himself a fairly large hole that he is still climbing out of.

Kevin Pillar, OF

Grade: F

The veteran outfielder was signed to give the Rangers a utility man so that they could rest the regulars. They figured he'd hit around .250 and be a plus defender, but they have gotten a paltry 9-42 and 2 RBIs accompanied by a month on the IL. That is not the ROI the team was looking for.

Kyle Higashioka, C

Grade: B-

Higgy is a solid backstop with a decade of handling pitching staffs and calling good games. He had such a solid spring that he's earned more playing time than anyone expected and relegated Tucker Barnhardt to a glorified bullpen catcher. Any offensive numbers from him are just gravy.

Patrick Corbin, SP

Grade: A

Patrick Corbin has been far and away the best off-season move, aside from resigning Nathan Eovaldi, for the Rangers. They picked him up off the scrap heap, dusted him off and stuck him at the back of the rotation. He now has 3 wins and a 3.35 ERA. Easily the diamond in the rough so far.

Grading every Rangers offseason bullpen moves after 48 games

Robert Garcia

Grade: A-

Despite giving up the game winning homer against the Astros to give them a split in the series, Garcia has been the most consistent arm out of the bullpen and Bochy has a lot of trust in him, espeically in lefty/lefty situations. He has shown promise moving forward.

Luke Jackson

Grade: C+

If this had been a first month report card, then Jackson would have received an "A" without much thought after rattling off 8 early save. But he has struggled since with an ERA over 4.50 with a handful of blown saves mixed in.

Hoby Milner

Grade: B-

The submarining sidewinder has been shaky lately, but his role was to be a bizarre change of pace with a hard-to-pick-up release point that will confound left-handed hitters at the plate. For the most part, he has done that.

Shawn Armstrong

Grade: B

This grade would be lower, but his nails save on Thursday against Houston lifts his mark a full letter grade. Which means other than that one outing, he has had very mediocre stuff and got lit up the day after that, blowing a late-inning lead.

Chris Martin

Grade: B+

What the heck is going on with Martin's elbow? In two of the last three starts, he has pulled himself from the game with discomfort. When he's been able to stay out there, he has been the best right-handed reliever on the team with a plus fastball and a decent slider and curveball.

Jacob Webb

Grade: D

He just doesn't seem to pitch very smart sometimes going with the same so-so slider trying to nibble on the outside corner too much. Former Ranger hitting coach Clint Hurdle used to call the long-relief guy in the bullpen "the human victory cigar" - as in once he's in, the game is yours. Webb may be that guy for the Rangers.

Incomplete Grades: Tucker Barnhardt C, Caleb Boushley RP, Sam Haggerty OF