The Rangers are headed into an offseason where the fog feels thicker than the answers. Chris Young has stayed quiet about the 2027 payroll, Ray Davis already pushed cuts last season, and a looming lockout could make the whole labor picture look very different before long. With so much unsettled, Texas needs value wherever it can find it.
One place that value might surface is in West Sacramento, where the Athletics have a club option coming on Jeff McNeil. At $15.75 million, it’s hard to see the A’s keeping him.
That could open a door for Texas.
The Rangers have Justin Foscue in the mix at second base, but they still need another piece to complete the position. Foscue made the most of his chance in 2026 and proved he can be part of the answer, especially when left-handed pitching is involved.
The 27-year-old was outstanding against southpaws, slashing .324/.395/.586. Against right-handers, though, he fell off sharply and hit .175/.212/.300.
That split is exactly why McNeil makes sense as a potential partner.
McNeil’s overall 2026 line with the former New York Mets wasn’t eye-popping: .264/.313/.368 with nine home runs. But the numbers were dragged down by a rough first half, when he hit .226/.290/.302. He looked much more like himself after that, though, batting .310/.342/.451 over his final 59 games.
That late-season surge suggests there’s still something left if his workload is managed the right way. In a platoon role, McNeil could be well suited to squeeze out production without being asked to carry the full load every day.
He also still brings the kind of bat-to-ball profile Texas could use. Against righties, he hit .271 in 2026, and he struck out only 11.3% of the time.
That’s almost the same as his career 11.8% strikeout rate. For a Rangers team that struck out 23% of the time last season, that kind of contact ability matters.
McNeil’s value isn’t limited to the batter’s box, either. Second base is his main spot, but he can also handle first base, third base, and both corner outfield positions. That kind of versatility could ease some of the burden on Ezequiel Duran, especially if The Solution has to cover one spot for an extended stretch because of injury.
And the price should be right. McNeil is unlikely to come close to the nearly $16 million he earned in 2026. A one-year deal worth $5 million or less would give Texas a low-cost answer to one roster need while preserving money for the bullpen, additional offense, and possibly the starting rotation.
With so much uncertainty hanging over the offseason, the Rangers may have to get creative. A cheaper, under-the-radar move like McNeil could fit that plan.
In Other News...
Rangers Face A Bullpen Decision That Could Define Their Budget
Jakob Junis has become a tricky little piece of the Rangers' bullpen puzzle, and not just because of what he did on the mound in 2026. Texas holds a $5 million mutual option for the 2027 season, a structure that gives both sides a say in whether the relationship carries on, and it comes at a time when the club is already trying to manage a tight payroll while keeping the relief corps competitive.
The decision is complicated by the shape of Junis' season, which was far better in the first half than in the stretch run, leaving the Rangers to weigh the early return against the late fade. With high-end bullpen additions difficult to chase under current budget limits, this is the kind of call that could quietly say a lot about how Texas plans to build around its pitching staff moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Already Face A Payroll Squeeze Chris Young Can't Ignore
The Rangers are already staring at a 2027 payroll picture that could get tight fast, even before they know exactly how the front office wants to attack the roster. Texas has multiple needs to address, and the bigger issue may be how much room Chris Young will actually have to maneuver while trying to stay under the luxury tax threshold, especially with the organization still not having a clear public answer on its long-term budget.
Complicating matters is the uncertainty around the next collective bargaining agreement and the possibility of an MLB lockout, which makes planning even trickier. The bullpen is also one area that could demand attention, and with key relief help nearing free agency, the Rangers may be forced to balance immediate roster fixes against a payroll that does not look especially forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Free Agency Just Became A Tough Test Of Chris Young
Free agency is shaping up as a different sort of test for Chris Young, one that may have less to do with how aggressively the Rangers can shop and more to do with how precisely they can spend. Texas is headed toward a tighter payroll picture for 2027 after owner Ray Davis trimmed expenses, which puts even more pressure on the president of baseball operations to make every move line up with the clubs broader roster plan.
Young has already made it clear the Rangers do not want to chase names just for the sake of activity. The focus is on players who fit the teams preferred profile, especially hitters who get on base and pitchers who can coax weak contact, and that approach could define how Texas navigates the market. In a winter where flexibility looks limited, the bigger challenge may be finding the right kind of fit without overextending for the wrong one. [Read more 🡒]