The top 5 offseason stories for the Texas Rangers

The football season is finally over as the Kansas City Chiefs repeated as Super Bowl champions with a thrilling overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers. Now, we can get ready for the upcoming 2024 baseball season. For those who shifted their attention to football after the Texas Rangers won the World Series it has been an offseason full of news for the Texas Rangers but not in the same way the previous two offseasons were. Texas was less active in the free agent or trade market this past offseason. Chris Young used this offseason to shore up some problem areas without making massive changes to the roster's core. Before we can look ahead to spring training and eventually the regular season let's look back at the top five stories of the offseason.

5. The players the Texas Rangers lost after the World Series

It happens after every championship that players will leave not for greener pastures but for fatter wallets. Texas saw a few players walk after the season in free agency. Aroldis Chapman signed a 1-year 10.5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Will Smith signed a 1-year $5 million contract with the Kansas City Royals. Mitch Garver signed a 2-year $24 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. Chris Stratton signed a 1-year $3.5 million contract with the Kansas City Royals. Austin Hedges signed a 1-year $4 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians.

Texas lost some veterans in the bullpen in Chapman, Smith, and Stratton. They lost their DH in Mitch Garver. They lost their backup catcher in Austin Hedges. It is still to be determined about Jordan Montgomery. He is still on the free agent market and it is unknown if he will be returning to the Rangers.

Texas will replace some of these guys with internal options, especially at DH with Wyatt Langford and Justin Foscue both being in camp competing for that spot. Texas also did sign David Robertson and Kirby Yates to replace Chapman and Smith. Andrew Knizner was signed to compete with Sam Huff for the backup catchers' role. Several non-roster players such as Jared Walsh, Diego Castillo, and Shane Greene are in camp to compete for spots as well.

Overall there was not a splash signing like a Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, or Corey Seager, but it was still a productive offseason. Texas did improve the depth and quality of the bullpen. The lineup will still be among the best in the league, and the top four of the rotation should still be pretty good. The depth of the rotation is not where it needs to be, but that will change throughout the season as injured pitchers start to come back.