The Rangers have work to do this offseason, and the list is clear: they need more offense, bullpen help, and maybe another arm or two for the rotation. If they go shopping in free agency, there are a few names from within the division that make plenty of sense as possible targets.
Start with Houston’s Bryan Abreu. At 29, he’s the biggest name of the group, and even after what the source calls his worst season since 2021, he still put up a 3.73 ERA with 80 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings in the Astros bullpen.
His year came in two very different halves. Abreu began as Houston’s closer with Josh Hader injured and stumbled badly, carrying a 5.81 ERA across 31 innings before turning things around with a 1.71 ERA over 31 2/3 innings after the break.
That second-half surge fit a larger track record: from 2022 through 2025, he logged a 2.30 ERA, ninth among qualified relievers, and his 34.3% strikeout rate ranked 10th. He’s spent his entire career with Houston, debuting in 2019, and owns a 2.82 career ERA with 528 strikeouts over 392 1/3 innings.
In the postseason, he’s been just as steady, posting a 2.49 ERA over 25 1/3 innings in five seasons and winning the 2022 World Series. He profiles best as a setup man, which is exactly the kind of right-handed strikeout presence Texas could use.
Another possible fit is a familiar face in left-hander Hoby Milner, who finished the year with Seattle. The Rangers had him in 2025, and he gave them a 3.84 ERA over 42 innings.
Before that, the Cubs signed him to a one-year deal, he worked to a 3.53 ERA over 35 2/3 innings, then landed on the IL in late June with appendicitis. Chicago didn’t have a bullpen spot for him when he came back, so the team designated him for assignment and released him.
Milner then ended the season with the Mariners. He’s a 10-year MLB veteran and, by the sound of it, would not cost much.
A low-cost one-year deal, or even a minor-league contract, would make sense for Texas. He could also serve as a cheaper alternative to Tyler Alexander, who is a free agent and may try to capitalize on his strong year with the Rangers.
Then there’s Athletics right-hander Mark Leiter Jr., who comes with a little family angle too - he’s the cousin of Rangers righty Jack Leiter. Leiter posted a 4.28 ERA over 33 2/3 innings while striking out 38 this season, though he hasn’t pitched since July 18 because of a hip issue.
The surface numbers are fine, but the underlying profile looks stronger: he had a 2.95 FIP this year and brings seven seasons of big-league experience. He also has some October pedigree, with a 1.69 ERA over 5 1/3 innings in six postseason appearances during the Yankees’ 2024 World Series run.
Like Milner, he shouldn’t be expensive.
The last name on the list is Angels right-hander Robert Stephenson, a player who has not come close to justifying the three-year, $33 million deal he signed before the 2024 season. Injuries, including Tommy John surgery, limited him to just 12 appearances after that contract was signed, and he didn’t pitch at all in 2026.
Los Angeles has a $2.5 million club option for 2027, but the Angels are almost certain to decline it. Stephenson does have nine years of MLB experience, and there’s still a usable peak worth noting: in 2023 with the Rays, he posted a 2.35 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 38 1/3 innings.
Texas could take a flier here and try to land him on a minor-league deal this offseason.
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Instead, the fit unraveled in a hurry once he was back in the lineup in June. The Rangers moved on with a designation for assignment not long after his return from bereavement leave, and his production had been well below the mark even for a limited-usage roster spot, leaving the club to absorb another small bet that never really got off the ground. [Read more 🡒]