Rangers address three roster needs as offseason plans start coming into focus

Well now Texas Rangers' fans can turn their mindset from "Why aren't the Rangers making any moves?" to "How does this even help us? after team makes late Friday signings of three free agents.

First reported by FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray, the Rangers have agreed to a two-year, $14.5 million deal with catcher Danny Jansen as a replacement to Jonah Heim, who was released earlier in the offseason.

Immediately following that ESPN's Jeff Passan announced the team also reached agreements with relievers Alexis Diaz and Tyler Alexander, both are reported to be one year deals.

Prediction: Jansen will play second fiddle to Kyle Higashioka

The eight-year veteran Jansen spent the first six and half years as a Toronto Blue Jay, making his big league debut at the age of 23 during the 2018 season. Since being traded at the trade deadline in 2024, Jansen has split time with Boston, Tampa Bay and Milwaukee.

A career .220 hitter, Jansen doesn't really light up any part of his game with not high power numbers and really only his blocking ability behind the plate as a positive attribute, being in the 98th percentile among 2025 catchers.

Originally it was assumed that whatever catcher the Rangers did sign, they would take the 2025 approach and split nearly 50/50 playing time with Higashioka. It was even rumored that the frontrunner for that job would be Victor Caratini but it goes to Jansen instead.

All that said, it seems Schumaker might have a lot of faith and trust in Higashioka to lead the pitching staff and it will be Higgy's starting spot to lose going into next year.

Rangers grab two arms for rebuilding bullpen but aren't inspiring moves

Diaz, 29, is the younger brother of newly minted Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz. His 2025 season was defined by playing just 18 games for three different organizations and compiling a rough 8.14 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 16 earned runs in 17.2 innings.

He's only a few years removed from electric two-year stretch in 2023 and 2024 when he recorded 37 and 28 saves, respectively for the Reds. Even in his rookie year in 2022, he threw 63.2 innings out of the Reds' pen for a 1.98 ERA.

As for Alexander, the 31-year-old lefty pitched 97.2 innings for the Brewers and White Sox in 2025 and finished with a 2-9 record, 4.98 ERA, 82 strikeouts, 30 walks and a 1.40 WHIP. It seems like a long time since he was a sub-4.00 ERA threat with the Detroit Tigers four seasons ago.

Both moves, while they fill roster spots in a depleted bullpen, lack any true inspiring motion. They are both problem arms coming off some of the worst baseball of their careers. Last season if this move was made it would be more inspiring with Mike Maddux there to revive them but even with a capable Jordan Tiegs at the helm, a lot is unknown about he goes about his business as the top pitching coach.

It seems that Texas is just searching for cheaper options to field a team. Which is not fun for fans to see after the team said they would cut payroll but planned to still remain competitive. On paper, this moves only answer one part of the two parter.