Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young got the kind of payroll answer that buys him some breathing room.
Back in late September, Young said he expected to know the club’s budget by November. On Monday, as free agency opened, he told reporters the Rangers’ payroll should be “very similar” to the 2026 payroll, according to Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required).
That may not sound flashy, but for Texas it looks like the best possible outcome given everything hanging over the roster. The Rangers already have a lot of money tied up in a few key veterans, and the offseason itself could get messy if Major League owners and the MLB Players Association can’t agree on a new collective bargaining agreement by Dec.
- If that happens, the owners are expected to lock out the players, and there’s much less optimism than there was before the 2021-22 lockout about reaching a deal that won’t affect the 2027 schedule.
For Young, holding the line is a win. Last winter, ownership asked him to cut payroll after three straight seasons of paying the competitive balance tax, with only the 2023 World Series title to show for it. That decision also played into Bruce Bochy’s exit after last season.
There had been some expectation that Texas might slash even more this offseason, especially after Young said in September that he wanted to build a team that was younger, more athletic and more versatile for 2027. The Rangers took steps to create that flexibility before free agency even began. They did not bring back any of their free agents, and none of the three players with mutual options - designated hitter Joc Pederson, pitcher Jakob Junis and catcher Kyle Higashioka - chose to exercise them.
Even with that cleanup, the books are still heavy. Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Corey Seager and Brandon Nimmo are set to combine for more than $100 million in 2027, unless Texas moves one of them in a trade.
That possibility is real. Both deGrom and Seager have drawn trade inquiries over the last year.
Still, if Young isn’t being told to strip the payroll down, he doesn’t have to move anyone just to move money. He can wait for the right return.
And with the budget staying close to where it was, he can focus on the area he said mattered most this winter: the bullpen. Texas already made one move there Monday, claiming former Mets and Giants reliever Jose Butto off waivers. Butto missed most of 2026 with a blood clot in his arm, but he’s expected to be ready for the 2027 season.
The Rangers have already shown they can piece together relief help without breaking the bank. Junis, Tyler Alexander and Cal Quantrill all ended up being useful additions on the cheap, and Quantrill even shifted into the rotation in June after Jack Leiter got hurt.
Young isn’t getting a blank check. But after the way this offseason could have gone, keeping payroll steady is a lot better than the alternative.
In Other News...
Rangers Took A Flier On An Arm With Late-Inning Intrigue
The Rangers made a low-risk move with a potentially useful arm, claiming right-hander Jose Butto off waivers from the Giants and giving him a spot on the 40-man roster. It is the kind of roster shuffle that rarely grabs much attention on its own, but it fits the broader Texas approach of trying to uncover bullpen help wherever it can find it, especially with a pitcher who has shown late-inning intrigue.
To make the move work, Texas designated outfielder Michael Helman for assignment, and he cleared waivers before being sent to Triple-A Round Rock. Buttos path is the bigger question for now, since he is coming back from surgery for a blood clot in his arm and is not expected to be ready until the 2027 season, leaving the Rangers to wait and see whether this flier eventually turns into a bullpen option. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Suddenly Have A Center Field Problem They Cant Ignore
The Rangers offseason shuffle picked up again with a roster move that added another arm to the bullpen picture, as Texas claimed right-handed reliever Jose Butto off waivers and sent infielder/outfielder Michael Helman to the minors. It was the kind of transaction that usually gets a quick glance and little else, but it landed in the middle of a week already marked by organizational changes on the coaching staff, with assistant hitting coach Alex Cintron set to be reassigned and assistant pitching coach Dave Bush not returning for the 2027 season.
What makes the move harder to dismiss is the timing around center field, where Evan Carters availability has suddenly become a real concern. Carter underwent surgery to repair a tear in his hip labrum and is expected to miss spring training and the start of the season, leaving Texas with a hole in a spot that matters both defensively and in the lineup. The Rangers still have time to sort through options, but the early part of camp now carries a different kind of urgency as they figure out who can handle the job until Carter is ready. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Are Revisiting A Rule That Shaped Major Roster Moves
The qualifying offer market is back on the table, and with it comes one of baseballs more familiar roster-building complications. Eight MLB players were tagged with a $23.15 million offer on Monday, giving them until Nov. 17 to decide whether to accept or decline, and the ripple effects reach clubs like the Rangers even though they did not hand out a qualifying offer of their own this year.
Texas has lived through plenty of qualifying-offer decisions over the years, and those moves have helped shape some of its biggest roster swings. The Rangers have also seen how the draft-pick side of the system can influence free-agent pursuit, which is why this round of decisions matters beyond the players directly involved and could factor into how aggressively the club shops this winter. [Read more 🡒]