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

The offseason is officially underway. Texas winning the World Series eight days ago pushed the start of the offseason later than Texas has ever started an offseason. Texas does not want this to be the end of the run and instead the beginning of a run. They are hoping it is a run that includes multiple trips to the World Series and multiple championship parades through Arlington. The first goal though is to be the first team to repeat as champions this century. Baseball is the only major professional team sport that has not had a repeat champion in the 21st century. Texas is trying to break that trend and their difficult mission starts now with what they will do this offseason. I am going to make four predictions on what I think Texas will do to make another run at the World Series.

1) Texas signs Shohei Ohtani

The last two offseasons Texas has signed the players that were considered among the top free agents on the market. In 2021 it was Corey Seager, and in 2022 it was Jacob deGrom. Texas will make it a trifecta when they sign Shohei Ohtani to the biggest contract in team history. It will certainly top the amount Corey Seager signed for in 2021.

Ohtani a two-way sensation will sign one of the most complex contracts in baseball history. It will include several incentives and escalators based on his ability to pitch after having a second Tommy John surgery. His inability to pitch in 2024 will lower the total amount of the contract as he will just be able to hit. Texas will guarantee to give him the option to pitch in 2025 and beyond. Ohtani will sign with Texas because the Rangers give him a chance to win. The two sides will come to an agreement on a 10-year/400 million contract base and it will have the ability to grow to 450 million over the life of the contract.

Once Texas adds Ohtani it will open up the door to other moves and potential signings. Players will be willing to come to Texas for less just so that they can be a part of a winning team. It would not surprise me if this signing is done prior to the Winter Meetings much like the deGrom signing in 2022. It would allow Texas to work to add to the team after signing Ohtani and address other places on the roster.

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.

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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