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Dream Texas Rangers bullpen for the 2024 season

The Texas Rangers bullpen was their weak link for most of the 2023 season. Chris Young has the opportunity to strengthen it in free agency.

By Jacob Stubbs |
World Series - Texas Rangers v Arizona Diamondbacks - Game Five
World Series - Texas Rangers v Arizona Diamondbacks - Game Five / Sean M. Haffey/GettyImages
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The Texas Rangers had a historically bad bullpen in the regular season. They blew 33 saves and yet the team still managed 90 wins, a pretty remarkable feat. Bruce Bochy found a few guys he could rely on in the playoffs in Josh Sborz and Jose Leclerc. These two were particularly effective when the Rangers got a long outing from their starter. But throughout a long season, there will be some short outings from starters. Fatigue will also set in on guys like Sborz or Leclerc if they are the only ones Bochy can trust out of the bullpen. Regardless of how good those two are, the Rangers need more options. Here is a dream 2024 bullpen that will give the Rangers much more reliability across the board.

Andrew Heaney and Cody Bradford

First off, we have two guys who I think can be an asset to the bullpen in long relief in the event of a very short day from the starter. Those two in question would be Andrew Heaney and Cody Bradford. The Rangers will likely have a decision to make between Dane Dunning and Andrew Heaney for the starting rotation. With the way Dunning performed as a starter for most of the year, and how inconsistent Heaney could be at times, I think the nod goes to Dunning. That bumps Heaney to the bullpen and as a guy who's been a starter, he can provide a long relief outing in the event it is needed. He came in to provide two plus innings of relief a few times this season and generally did a good job.

Cody Bradford is a similar situation. He has a starter background and is a young guy who still has a lot of room to improve. He most notably provided three and two-thirds innings of shutout relief in Game 2 of the ALDS, giving me confidence, he can step into that long reliever role when the Rangers need it.

Josh Sborz

The next group of pitchers are guys that the Rangers could rely on in the sixth or seventh inning to provide quality relief. The first name that comes to mind after his breakout playoff performance is Josh Sborz. Sborz seemed to figure it out this postseason, and he dominated the seventh inning throughout most of the postseason. He did a great job maintaining leads and passing the ball on to the eighth and ninth inning guys and I expect to see more of that from him this season.

And nobody can forget his gutsy performance in the World Series clinching Game 5. With Leclerc a bit sore from the night before, Bochy turned to Sborz and rode him all the way to the title. Sborz pitched the final 2 1/3 innings of the game, giving up no runs, on one hit, walking none, and striking out four. Sborz will forever be remembered as the Rangers player that got that final out that brought the franchise its first World Series championship. His spot in the 2024 bullpen will be an important one.

Matt Moore

The next guy would be an addition through free agency. The Rangers should consider a reunion with Matt Moore. Moore had a 2.56 ERA this season after a 1.95 ERA with the Rangers in 2022. He has had two high-quality seasons consecutively and would not cost much to add. Moore is a familiar face who could provide quality innings in the sixth or seventh.

The Rangers probably should have resigned Moore after his 2022 campaign but let him walk and ultimately sign with the Angels. It is doubtful that Chris Young will make the same mistake twice in a row and let the lefty go somewhere else.

Brock Burke

Finally, Brock Burke rounds out this group. Burke admittedly did not have a strong postseason. But he did have quite a few shutout appearances out of the bullpen during the regular season. The problem with Burke is when he gives up runs, it's in bunches. If he can improve in minimizing damage when he allows it, he could be a solid piece for this group.

Josh Hader

Finally, for the dream 2024 Rangers bullpen, we have our setup guys and closers. This group is ideally led by Josh Hader. Hader is one of the most dominant closers in the game, and if the Rangers allow him to come in with a lead, we will see far fewer blown saves than last season. Hader had 33 saves this past season, as many as the Rangers as a team blew. He has blown less saves in his entire career than the Rangers did during the 2023 regular season. It would truly be great to see him in a Rangers uniform. The hype video on Hader below, is worth the watch and will get Rangers fans fired up at the possibility of having another dominate closer.

Jordan Hicks

Another addition that would make this group dominant is Jordan Hicks. Hicks won't cost near what Hader will, in fact, more in the ballpark of the aforementioned Matt Moore. He is a flamethrower with a fastball that tops out at 100 mph, who had a solid ERA of 3.29 last season. He is also another guy who worked with Mike Maddux in St. Louis, and we all saw how successful Maddux's reunion with former Cardinal, Jordan Montgomery was this season. Hicks could be used as a setup guy or a closer if Hader needs rest.

Jose Leclerc

The main setup guy in this dream bullpen though is going to be Jose Leclerc. He has had his struggles in the past and every Rangers fan loved watching him overcome them this postseason. Leclerc's breakout postseason saw him become a guy the Rangers could rely on in close games in the late innings. I think he would thrive in an eighth inning setup role, and I would like to see him in that spot next season.

After the struggles the bullpen had in the regular season in 2023, there is little doubt that Chris Young is going to add some quality arms heading into 2024. Hold on tight, and let's see how close to a dream bullpen that he will be able to come up with this offseason.

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