Jacob Latz’s rise to All-Star closer in 2026 didn’t follow the usual script, and that’s exactly what made it so striking for the Rangers.
Back in February, he was in Surprise, Ariz., competing with Kumar Rocker for the team’s fifth-starter job. By late September, he was finishing games in the ninth inning and heading to the All-Star Game as Texas’ lone representative.
That kind of jump would be unusual for almost anyone. For Latz, it fit the winding path he’s taken all along.
The left-hander had already spent 2025 as a valuable swingman, handling both long relief and spot starts depending on what the Rangers needed. Before that, he debuted in the majors in 2021, sat out the big leagues in 2022, and kept climbing step by step.
In 2026, he turned that versatility into something bigger. Latz went 3-4 with a 2.13 ERA and piled up 30 saves, becoming the Rangers’ clear best reliever.
He didn’t even begin the year as the closer. Texas opened with Robert Garcia and Chris Martin getting the first chances, but both blew saves and later landed on the injured list.
Tyler Alexander picked up a couple of saves, Jakob Junis got one as well, and then Latz logged his first save on April 25.
Manager Skip Schumaker didn’t immediately hand him the job, but the decision became obvious by the end of May, when Latz had seven saves in the month. From there, the trust was unmistakable.
The stuff isn’t overpowering. Latz’s fastball averaged 94.8 mph, and his three off-speed pitches sat in the 80-86 mph range, according to Statcast. But he worked like a starter out of the bullpen, and that mix pushed him into the 90th percentile or better in chase rate, whiff rate and strikeout rate in 2026.
For a Rangers club that lived around .500 all year and finished 80-82, Latz mattered in a big way. He helped keep the season from slipping away during the dog days of summer, which is part of why he was chosen for the All-Star Game.
He also brought a different kind of closing profile. On several occasions, Schumaker used him for two-inning saves, a weapon most closers simply don’t offer. It wasn’t always the plan, and at times it may have been more than Schumaker wanted to ask, but injuries elsewhere - especially to Junis - narrowed the options.
For Latz, it added up to a breakthrough season in every sense: a former swingman turned All-Star closer, doing it with his own style and with a manager who knew exactly how valuable he was.
In Other News...
Rangers Face Tough 2027 Calls As Key Free Agent Replacements Loom
The Rangers are already looking beyond the immediate season, with president of baseball operations Chris Young signaling that the club is weighing a roster refresh aimed at making the team younger, faster and more versatile by 2027. In that kind of planning, nothing is off the table, including trimming payroll or exploring trades, which gives the front office a wide range of ways to shape the next version of the roster.
Chris Youngs comments also put a spotlight on the next round of replacement decisions, because several familiar spots could be in flux as free agency approaches. Texas is sorting through possible answers from prospects and recent additions, trying to identify who can step in and handle key roles if the current group moves on, and those evaluations will go a long way toward determining how aggressive the Rangers can be when the roster starts to turn over. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Have A Tough Wyatt Langford Decision Before His Price Jumps
Wyatt Langfords uneven 2026 season has only sharpened the question facing the Rangers: whether to lock up a young outfielder now, while his price is still manageable, or wait and pay more later if the bat settles in the way the organization believes it can. His first half showed the upside that made him such an important piece of the future, but the second half was less encouraging, and injuries have kept him from putting together a full season so far.
Even with that volatility, Langford still brings a career wRC+ of 115 and solid defensive metrics, which is why the extension conversation is so tricky. Texas has to weigh the benefit of buying out some of his arbitration years against the risk of committing before it knows exactly what kind of hitter he will be over time, especially with the possibility that his value could rise quickly if he puts everything together. [Read more 🡒]