How important is it for Rangers to go into 2026 with an established closer?

Closers are becoming severely undervalued in today's game. They are either the most loved or most hated players on any given team and Skip Schumaker will likely forgo the closer-by-committee aproach and establish a consistent closer.

In a season full of so many mistakes, there was one that has was glaring so many times. The lack of a consistent dominant ninth-inning figure cost them a lot of close games.

Pitching was certainly not to blame for the disastrous 2025 season but there is always room for improvement. There are a lot of ways to improve the bullpen and a closer is at the top of that list.

How serious is the Rangers closer problem?

Ever since letting Kirby Yates walk in the 2024 offseason, something has been off with the closer role for the Rangers. Nine players recorded a save this season which is not typical of a dominant team.

The lack of top tier velocity and movement is paramount. In an era that has Mason Miller, Aroldis Chapman and Andres Munoz, the Rangers deployed Hoby Milner, Chris Martin and Robert Garcia.

The bullpen yielded great numbers everywhere outside of the final inning. The bullpen would go on to record 29 blown saves which would be second in the league to the Los Angeels Angels with 33.

This is a shockingly large number for a bullpen that was top half of the bullpen in most other statistical categories. The inability to close out games was devastating for a team that could not score runs handicapped their potential.

What's the answer for Texas?

Signing a free agent arm to be a full time closer is a necessity. The team is likely going to start flawed. Getting an answer to a major problem is at the top of the list. The bullpen for the Rangers will likely need a full rebuild for 2026.

The limited internal options available that could fill the role aren't promising. Jacob Webb, Josh Sborz, Robert Garcia and Luis Curvelo are currently the only bullpen pitchers rostered for next year, which is a major shortage in proven experience and top-tier velocity.

This leads the most likely option coming from the minor leagues or free agency. Marc Church and Emiliano Teodo are the only real options that are ready or developing to be a closer.

The most likely option is finding a cheaper veteran arm that can fill the role. Rumors of the Rangers cutting salary are likely to become a major reality and handicap to the options. Retaining arms like Phil Maton or Danny Coulombe is a likelihood but would compound 2025's problems to 2026.

An intriguing option would be Cole Winn. Winn enjoyed a fruitful 2025 but his underlying numbers are worrying. The low chase, whiff, strikeout, walk, and barrel percentage look to regress his numbers to the mean. It is a risky option to buy in on.

Fixing the blown save problem can flip the script in 2026. If 29 blown saves is cut down to just 19, the Rangers outright win the division in 2025 with an abysmal offense.

If the closer problem is fixed or even just less flawed, the Rangers could be a problem. The AL West is once again wide open and a consistent closer would allow the Rangers to be the best version of themselves in a retooling season.