Winter Meetings: 3 reasons behind the Texas Rangers slow news offseason

The Texas Rangers the last two offseasons have been more like the Fast and Furious movies. They struck fast, got out, and left the rest of the baseball world to clean up the mess they caused. It all culminated in a World Series championship a little over one month ago. This offseason has yet to get started. Texas has yet to sign a player who was not already on the roster in 2023. They have not pulled off a trade for anyone. Their offseason has been less Fast and Furious and more Lost in Translation. The Texas front office arrives in Nashville this week for Winter Meetings and to hopefully start telling a different story this offseason.

The Winter Meetings is the annual gathering of front-office executives, coaches, and baseball media. There is a job fair component as well as several meetings that take place concerning the health and well-being of the sport. Over these four days, the Hall of Fame Contemporary Era committee will be announcing the result of their vote. The MLB Draft Lottery will be talking place and the Rule 5 Draft will be done on Wednesday before everyone starts leaving Nashville. In between these official meetings there will be free agent deals signed and trades will be made.

Texas Rangers fans have to be wondering if this is where we see Texas start to make moves? They do have areas of need that West Jones wrote about this last weekend. They are World Series champions, but are they content with that or do they want to improve upon that with another title? I would figure the goal for 2024 is to win the AL West division and dethrone the Astros once and for all. So what is holding them back? I think there are three reasons why Texas is being so slow to move this offseason. Texas is uncertain about the status of their Bally Sports contract, not wanting to be a two-time luxury tax payer, and they do not see a need to sign a high-dollar free agent.

Luxury Tax payers for a second season

Texas is luxury tax payers for the 2023 season. Ray Davis will happily write that check to Major League Baseball. It resulted in a World Series championship. The penalties increase to 30% tax for a team over the luxury tax for a second season. Everything is back at 0-0 heading into 2024. I am sure the message has come down from ownership to try and get under the tax heading into the season.

Texas cannot go past $237 million in team payroll if they are to stay away from becoming two time luxury tax payers. Fangraphs has Texas already at around $220 million in payroll for 2024. They likely have around $15 million to sign free agents this offseason. It will take some creativity by Chris Young to be able to spread that money around and still fill the holes on the roster.

Texas will likely still pursue free agents, but also be active in the trade market. I expect Chris Young to explore every avenue this week in Nashville to improve this roster. Texas is trying to do something that no team has done since 2000 and that is repeat as World Series champion. He is doing that while also trying to stay under the luxury tax.

No need to sign a high-priced free agent

Texas could be competitive for the best free agents. Most I am sure would love to come and play for the team that just won the World Series. Lots of players make their offseason home in Texas. The lack of a state income tax also makes playing in the state very attractive for free agents. Chris Young looks at this roster of returning players and likely does not see a need to add major pieces to the team.

The starting lineup for 2024 potentially could see everyone except for Mitch Garver return. If Texas did not do anything Sam Huff would likely be starting in the DH role. Evan Carter would be your Opening Day left fielder. I am sure that at some point in 2024 Wyatt Langford would make his debut for Texas. Texas has the ability to stay content in the lineup and not commit more resources there.

The rotation does have five starters heading into Spring Training. Nathan Eovaldi, Max Scherzer, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, and Dane Dunning. They will have Cody Bradford as a depth piece with Owen White and Jack Leiter waiting in the wings at Triple-A Round Rock. Texas I am sure would like to add more depth. Just because Texas will enter Spring Training with five starting pitchers does not mean they will make it to Opening Day with five starting pitchers. Chris Young always says that a team can never have too much pitching.

The bullpen needs more depth, but if they did nothing it would still be a good bullpen. Jose Leclerc as the closer, Josh Sborz setup, Jonathan Hernandez in the 7th, Bradford long relief, Brett Martin and Brock Burke as your left-handed options, Grant Anderson in middle relief. Then they could probably call up someone like Antoine Kelly or Marc Church to give them some depth. There are always non-roster options that are brought to camp that could win jobs as well.

Chris Young sees all that has been built the last three to four seasons and is not content with what Texas has. There is also not a sense of desperation to add pieces to the roster. Texas will have conversations with free agents. They will most likely not participate in bidding wars that go beyond what they are comfortable spending. That is what happens when a team wins a World Series and returns nearly everybody from that roster. The pressure to win is not nearly as high as it was before.

Just remember this time last year Texas was trying to build a roster that could have a winning record and end the six-season stretch of losing seasons. Now, Texas is trying to build a roster that can repeat as World Series champions. The bar has been raised and a new standard has been established. Texas is not just looking to sign players they are looking to sign the right kind of players that can add to the clubhouse culture of winning.

Texas may not have as much money as before due to the Bally Sports situation, and they may be constrained by the luxury tax, but they will still put together a reputable team that will have the ability to repeat as champions.

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