Rangers News: Jose Butto bolsters depth, coaching shakeups, bad Evan Carter injury update

As the calendar flips to November, the Texas Rangers have announced a handful of moves that will affect the 2027 season. They claimed right-handed reliever Jose Butto off waivers, announced that assistant hitting coach Alex Cintron will be taking on a different role, and that assistant pitching coach Dave Bush will not return in 2027. On top of that, starting center fielder Evan Carter has undergone hip surgery and won't be ready for the start of the season.

Let's dig into what these moves mean for the Rangers moving forward and what kind of short-term impact they will have as the organization readies for the 2027 campaign.

Jose Butto is an intriguing bullpen depth piece for the Rangers

Chris Young took a step toward cobbling together a new bullpen for 2027 with the waiver claim of Venezuelan-born right-handed reliever Jose Butto on Monday. Butto, 28, will be heading into his 5th major league season and will join his third team since his debut in 2022. Infielder/outfielder Michael Helman was assigned outright to the minor leagues as the corresponding move.

Butto holds a career 13-10 record with a 3.76 ERA and 185 strikeouts over 180 innings pitched. He made just three appearances for the Giants early last season before hitting the Injured List on April 2 with right-arm fatigue and missing the rest of the season. His arsenal includes a plus sinker that he uses 39.7% of the time, along with a mid-90s four-seam fastball, slider, change, and curve. He will enter spring training looking to secure a roster spot and improve on a bullpen that, except for All-Star Jacob Latz, underperformed in 2026.

The Rangers send a message that improvement is needed with coaching staff decisions

In other news, assistant hitting coach Alex Cintron has been removed from that role. He will stay with the organization, but it has not been determined in what capacity as of yet. Cintron joined the Rangers in 2025 after serving in the same role for the Houston Astros from 2018 to 2025. The move spares hitting coach Justin Viele for now, but the reassignment of Cintron should definitely send him a clear signal. This team hasn't hit anywhere near what Young believes it is capable of over the past two seasons, and he is taking notes.

Also, assistant pitching coach Dave Bush has been relieved of his duties. Bush joined the Rangers' front office in 2024 as their Director of Pitching Strategy before making the move to the major league coaching staff under Jordan Tiegs. He will not return to the staff in 2027. Chris Young is always looking to improve the pitching staff, even in a managerial capacity. Like Viele, Tiegs avoided the chopping block for now, but should consider himself warned by Young as well moving forward. These moves are obvious salvos to both coaches.

Evan Carter's surgery creates more questions about center field for the Rangers

Finally, Gold Glove nominee and center fielder Evan Carter has undergone surgery to repair a tear in his hip labrum. As a result, the speedy left-handed hitter will miss all of spring training and will likely not be available to Skip Schumaker until late April or early May. Carter's absence could mean Wyatt Langford shifts over from left field to start the season. It could also provide an opening for Cameron Cauley, who made his professional debut last season. Fresh off his Gold Glove win, Ezequiel Duran could man center for a spell.

Young has indicated that center field will be a "primary interest" of the organization this offseason. So, Carter's absence may lead to something more permanent the longer he is out. It is something to keep an eye on.

Opening Day for Texas is scheduled for March 25 against the Astros at Daikin Park. Their home opener is on April 1 against the Athletics. We'll see if a lockout alters the schedule, as the owners and MLBPA now have less than a month to reach a new deal. Keeping our fingers crossed that Opening Day arrives on time.

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