Rangers still chasing World Series high as search for contention continues in 2025

The 2023 World Series marked a historical milestone for the Texas Rangers, thanks to a potent offense and durable pitching staff. However, as the 2025 season unfolds, they find themselves plagued with early-season challenges that contrast sharply with their championship form.

Since winning the World Series, the Rangers have faced significant regressions, evolving roster dynamics and strategic adjustments — revealing an ongoing challenges of sustaining championship-caliber play in baseball.

How did the Rangers get from top of the baseball world to constant struggles?

A Rangers season for the ages

The Rangers orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for their first World Series, winning it all just two years after losing over 100 games in a season. Their offense was a powerhouse, leading the American League with a .263 batting average and scored 881 runs over the season.

Corey Seager had perhaps the best season of his career, hitting .327 with 33 home runs and 96 RBIs while Marcus Semien, who played all 162 games, led the league in runs socred and drove in 100 runs out of the leadoff spot. It was also the breakout year for outfielder Adolis Garcia who ended the year with 39 homers and 107 RBIs.

The success wasn't just limited to the regular season either, as Garcia continued his dominance in the winning ALCS MVP, while Seager became just the third player to win two World Series MVP's after hitting .286 with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs in the five game series. It was also the year of Evan Carter, who made his MLB Debut in September and went on a torrid stretch, hitting .300 with a .417 OBP in 17 games that postseason.

The pitching did enough to get by as the offense scored in bunches. Then a regular season bullpen 4.77 ERA turned into a 3.72 ERA in 48 1/3 postseason innings. Overall, the 2023 season paraded a balanced and resilient team, combining offensive firepower with sound pitching enhancements to secure their historic championship.

Aftermath and regression

The 2024 season proved to be a challenging one for the Rangers, marked by a combination of injuries, underperformance and inconsistency.

Jacob deGrom only made three starts near the end of the season after Tommy John Surgery. Texas also dealt with long-term injuries of Evan Carter and Josh Jung, as well as, inconsistent playing time from Corey Seager.

That caused a noticeable decline in production, with the team's average dropping to .238, with an .305 OBP and .380 slugging percentage, which resulted in a188 dip in runs scored.

Semien's batting average fell to .237, while García hit just .224 with 25 home runs and 85 RBIs. Seager managed to hit for a .278 average with 30 home runs and 74 RBIs, but again missed time with injuries.

The bullpen also faced challenges, finishing the season with a 4.77 ERA and converted just 47.6% of their save opportunities, which was sixth-worst in the league. They finished with a 78–84 record and missed the playoffs, emphasizing the difficulties of sustaining championship-level performance.

Navigating the Rangers' path back to contention

As this year unfolds, the Rangers find themselves striving to recapture the form that led them to a World Series title just two years prior. At 22–21, the team sits in the middle of the pack, bolstering promising pitching but deal with ongoing offensive inconsistencies.

On the mound, the Rangers have found more stability. They are third in ERA (2.96) and first overall with a 1.08 team WHIP. Nathan Eovaldi leads the rotation with four wins and 60 strikeouts, while Tyler Mahle boasts an impressive 1.47 ERA. The bullpen, however, remains a work in progress, with a 3.80 ERA hinting at struggles in closing out games.

The Rangers' offense has shown flashes of potential but lacks the consistency that characterized their championship run. The team is among the bottom in the league in most offensive categories, including a .231 batting average, which is 24th and has scored the fourth least runs in the league with 147.

Wyatt Langford has emerged as a key contributor, leading the team with a .262 average and 7 home runs. While Garcia leads the team with 22 RBIs and Josh Smith is making a case to defend his utility Silver Slugger and potentially a Gold Glove as well.

Where do the Rangers go from here?

The Rangers are characterized by a blend of optimism and uncertainty. While the pitching staff provides a solid foundation, the team must quickly find its rhythm offensively to propel the team back into AL West contention.

During the offseason, the Rangers made notable roster changes, including the acquisition of Kyle Higashioka while Jake Burger and Joc Pederson were brought in to add power to the lineup. But Pederson is struggling and Burger was recently sent down to Triple-A for six games after a tough start for him offensively.

In response to persistent offensive struggles, the team dismissed hitting coach Donnie Ecker and brought in Bret Boone. Boone's experience as a former All-Star brings a fresh perspective, with hopes of revitalizing the team's batting approach.

The journey from champions to a team seeking consistency demonstrates the challenges in maintaining championship-caliber performances. While they have made strategic moves to address weaknesses, the path back to contention will require cohesive execution. As the season progresses, the Rangers ability to overcome mid-season challenges will determine their trajectory the rest of the way.