Texas Rangers: 4 offseason predictions for the World Series Champion Texas Rangers

2) Texas trades Ezequiel Duran and/or Leody Taveras

It has already been reported that with teams not being enamored with the bats currently on the market that trade talks for position players have picked up at the GM Meeting. Texas could certainly cash in on these trade talks by dangling Duran or Taveras. The value of both has certainly ticked up after the 2023 season.

Duran had an excellent first half for Texas especially during that month when he filled in for an injured Corey Seager. He was talked about as a potential all-star after his first half. It was thought when Ohtani was being discussed in trades that Duran would be able to lead a trade package that would have brought Ohtani to Texas.

Duran finished the season with respectable numbers considering it was his first full major league season. He finished with a .276 batting average, 14 home runs, and a .768 OPS. He played both the infield and outfield for Texas. He still has a high ceiling and is only 24 years old.

Taveras is the one I am sure Texas would love to be able to keep on their roster. He had a good season in 2023 both offensively and defensively. Of these two Taveras probably has more value and could bring back more in a trade. Taveras is a future gold glove center fielder. He continues to improve offensively and his approach at the plate is getting better. He had several big hits in this postseason run. The two-run double against the Orioles in game two of the ALDS and a home run against Justin Verlander in game one of the ALCS. Taveras also had the all-important ninth-inning walk in World Series game one that set up Seager's memorable two-run home run that tied the game.

Texas does have Evan Carter ready to play center in case Taveras is traded. That should not be the reason Taveras is traded. Carter can play left as he showed in the postseason. Taveras should only be traded if the return would improve the roster more than losing Taveras would damage it. If trading Taveras can bring back young controllable starting pitching or relief options then I think Texas will have to consider it.

Taveras finished 2023 with a .266 batting average, 14 home runs, and a .733 OPS. He was excellent defensively as he finished second in the American League in putouts by a center fielder with 357. He finished behind Luis Roberts of the Chicago White Sox and ahead of Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners.

I would say of the two Duran is more likely to be traded, but if the return for Taveras is really enticing Chris Young might have a hard time saying no. One of them will be traded though as Texas will be looking to bring back young pitching or improve the bullpen. These two might be two of the more valuable pieces Texas is able to trade and not damage the roster.

3) Texas trades for a starting pitcher

The quality of free agent starting pitchers is attractive. Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery, and Blake Snell are the best starters on the market. I am wondering if Texas wants to lose two draft picks for the third straight year. They already will be drafting at the end of the first round. Do they also want to lose a second and third-round pick? Signing Ohtani would cost a draft pick, but he is the best player in the game. Are Nola and Snell both worth giving up a draft pick for?

I think Texas will look into trading for a starter. Tyler Glasnow, Shane Bieber, and Dylan Cease are all potentially available. Glasnow and Bieber both have one year of control left and Cease has two years. One year likely works for where Texas is at currently. If Texas signs Ohtani they will have deGrom and Ohtani in the 2025 rotation with Jon Gray. Eovaldi could be pitching on a vesting option that locks in if he pitches another 156 innings in 2024. Then the last spot can go to someone like Jack Leiter, Dane Dunning, or Owen White.

Texas will likely end up trading for Shane Bieber. They will hope for a better result than when they traded for Corey Kluber. Bieber will be looking to put up a great season before he heads into free agency and Texas will be looking for someone to give their rotation depth in 2024.

4) Texas signs 3 bullpen arms and not ones you would expect

It was not a surprise when Chris Young at the GM meetings mentioned bullpen as the first thing he wanted to address this offseason according to Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News.

It was a glaring need throughout the entire 2023 season. The bullpen blew more saves than they converted. It really is a miracle with that poor of a bullpen they were able to win the World Series. It took miraculous efforts from Josh Sborz, Aroldis Chapman, and Jose Leclerc. Each pitcher exceeded their abilities throughout the month of October. Texas this offseason will be looking to improve the depth of the pen and take some of the load off of Sborz and Leclerc.

The rumor surrounding Texas and the baseball insiders is that Texas is going to sign Josh Hader. That would solve their closer issue no doubt, but it would likely hinder their ability to really address the depth of the pen. Hader would be a massive improvement over Chapman, but Texas really needs about three arms to add to the pen. Hader will likely command about $20 million per season. That is what Edwin Diaz is currently being paid by the Mets.

The question becomes why spend $20 million on just one pitcher when they could spend $25 million and probably get three pitchers? Texas will sign Hector Neris, Jordan Hicks, and Brent Suter. Texas needs more pitchers who throw hard. Neris and Hicks definitely satisfy that. It would also give Texas options to go to if Leclerc or Sborz are having a tough week or two weeks. Suter is also a middle and late-innings left-handed pitcher. He would join Cody Bradford, Andrew Heaney, and maybe Bret Martin as left-handed pitchers in the bullpen.

Texas, now that they have a World Series championship, is going to be smart with the moves they make. I think they will try to inject this roster with fresh energy and not just try to run it back with the same roster. Every GM of a championship-winning roster has to walk that tightrope of changing the roster, but not changing the culture. Chris Young will have to try to maintain the resiliency of this team while also filling holes on the roster. It will be about adding players that will be hungry to win a championship. That is the roadmap for how Texas does not lose its edge and is able to make another run at a World Series championship in 2024.

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