Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young didn’t say much publicly about his offseason plans on Monday, but one line told the story.
Speaking with reporters, Young made it clear the Rangers are looking at a market where one big move could reshape the roster in more than one spot.
“That's where trades are made,” Young said of this offseason’s market to reporters, including The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). “You oftentimes trade one player to make yourself stronger in two different spots, and that's what we're looking to do.”
That idea fits the direction Young appears to be steering the club. The Rangers are expected to carry a payroll similar to last season’s, which is notable after Young was asked to cut payroll for 2026. He also acknowledged that the roster won’t be the same by 2027.
The names at the center of that possibility are the Rangers’ four most expensive players: Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Corey Seager and Brandon Nimmo. Young has no direct mandate to trade anyone, but with four contracts north of $100 million, it’s difficult to ignore the possibility that he could try to move one of them.
If that happens, the return probably won’t look like the one that was discussed in August, when the Atlanta Braves showed interest in deGrom. That was framed as a one-for-one type of deal, with Braves starter Spencer Strider part of the conversation. This time, Young’s comments pointed toward a different kind of package - one that would bring back multiple players.
Those four veterans are the only players on the roster who are likely to bring that kind of return in trade talks. But there’s a catch: all four have full no-trade clauses, so any deal would need the player’s approval. deGrom already blocked the potential Braves deal in August.
Young’s larger goal is straightforward: make the Rangers younger, more athletic and more versatile. That’s easier said than done, especially with a minor league pipeline that isn’t as deep as it once was and a group of younger big leaguers who didn’t deliver in 2026. In September, Young also made it clear his patience with Evan Carter, Wyatt Langford, Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker has thinned.
There’s also the clock. If MLB and the Players Association don’t reach a new collective bargaining agreement by Dec. 1, the owners are expected to lock out the players, and no business can be done. That leaves Young with about a month to try to reshape the Rangers for 2027 - possibly by moving one of the biggest names on the roster.
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