The offseason has not been too kind to the Texas Rangers and that puts them in a vulnerable spot heading into the 2026 season that if no turnaround happens, they'll be lucky to squander together 70 wins.
Ending the season with one of the bottom offense in all of Major League Baseball, the Rangers did make the hard decision in getting rid of the lineup's bottom feeders over the last couple of seasons but besides Brandon Nimmo, they didn't really replace them with any better options.
Winning 70 games will be lucky for the Rangers
Less than one month until the first full squad workout in Surprise on Feb. 15, the Rangers' front office has said they are pretty much set for the position players and the lineup is projected to feature Nimmo in the leadoff spot.
The remainder of the lineup is eight players that either experienced one of their worst seasons in professional baseball or have a lot to prove by staying on the field or increased roles. That is a lot of rely on for an organization that wants to be competitive this year.
On the pitching side, the rotation with Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Letier as the 1-2-3 threat and the potential of Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker has a lot for fans excited to see how they duplicate 2025 success. The bullpen though leaves a lot unanswered. Texas missed out on a lot of options, including a couple re-signings of high-value relievers, instead opted for prove-it players like Alexis Diaz and Tyler Alexander to fill the gaps.
In order for the Rangers to prove me wrong, they will need to see Diaz, Alexander and others in the pen have resurgences, which Texas is encouraged they will.
They'll also need to rely on Wyatt Langford and expect major bouncebacks from Joc Pederson, Jake Burger and Josh Jung. Of course, Corey Seager is going to produce no matter what but the quantity will determine if he can stay on the field.
A lot of "ifs" remain and that is not enough confidence for me to be able to say, yes they will be better.
