Rangers losing key figure to division rival is exacerbating pitching woes

One of the biggest offseason shakeups in the Texas Rangers' organization had nothing to do with the active roster or any free agents or trades. It was a coach. Mike Maddux's leaving for the division rival Angels has clearly taken its toll on the team's pitching staff, and the numbers bear that out.

Say what you want about Maddux's handsy approach on his visits to the mound, but you definitely cannot argue that he had a presence that the 2026 Rangers are sorely missing.

Jordan Tiegs is doing his best, but the Rangers' pitchers are missing Mike Maddux and his zen-like approach

We're not here to bash Jordan Tiegs, the bullpen coach who was rightfully promoted to pitching coach upon Maddux's departure. In fact, the bullpen has been even better this year, improving from an already solid 3.62 ERA a year ago to a 3.48 mark thus far in 2026.

The starters, though, have really struggled. Tiegs isn't the one giving up all the first-inning home runs and putting the team behind the eight ball right out of the gate, but it's clear something is missing.

Here are the facts: with Maddux at the helm, the 2025 Rangers pitching staff delivered the best season in club history. The starters' ERA was 3.41. It was the only reason the team stayed in the hunt for as long as it did. So far in 2026, it has ballooned to 4.26 with significant regression from guys like Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker.

And sure, the Angels staff isn't anything to write home about so far this year, but Maddux inherited a mess out there. Meanwhile, he continues to take significant strides with some of the Angels' top hurlers like Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano, and breakout youngster Walbert Urena.

There was something very soothing about the way Maddux sauntered out to the mound and gently placed his right hand on his pitcher's left shoulder. It was as if he were passing his tranquility into the body of the player. More often than not, you saw an improvement in the results, and at the very least, a more composed pitcher on the mound.

It's something that comes with age and years of experience that Jordan Tiegs is on his way to obtaining. Still, right now, the staff and the entire organization are missing Maddux's presence in the clubhouse and on the field.

Is Maddux's departure the reason behind the arrested development of Leiter and Rocker, or the reason Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi haven't been as sharp? That is tough to quantify, but it sure seems like much more than a coincidence, especially considering Maddux's well-deserved reputation as one of the best pitching coaches in the game.

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