The Texas Rangers have a few realistic priorities this offseason: get younger, get more athletic, add Major League depth and competition, and maybe ease the payroll load a little.
But if you’re dreaming big, the fantasy version of this winter looks a lot more dramatic.
Start with the kind of swing that changes everything. Texas going all-in for Tarik Skubal would be the headline-grabber, the sort of move that says fiscal caution is out the window.
The left-hander is coming off a monster run: 43-18 over the last three seasons with a sub 3.00 ERA, back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards in 2024 and 2025, and the pitching triple crown in 2024. Even after missing several turns because of elbow surgery, he was still his usual self.
He’d cost the Rangers plenty. Maybe everything they have.
But Skubal turns 30 soon, remains in his prime, and would give Texas an ace to build around for years. The downside is obvious: a huge payroll hit and the likely need to move several players just to make the fit work.
Still, that’s the point of a dream offseason.
Another piece of the puzzle could come from the organization’s own timeline. It would be too much to ask for Walcott to be ready on opening day - unless opening day is in July. That possibility exists if negotiations between MLB and the MLB Players Association drag into next year as part of a new collective bargaining agreement.
Walcott, though, can keep moving in the minors. He held his own in Double-A with Frisco and also performed in the Arizona Fall League, which sets him up for a possible jump to Triple-A Round Rock next April.
If the labor situation stretches on, he could be in position to get a head start on the big leaguers. In that case, if the regular season doesn’t begin until July, Texas could bring him into whatever spring training is allowed and let him win an opening-day job.
Then there’s the payroll question, and this is where the Rangers could really open things up. They have four expensive veteran contracts on the books: Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Corey Seager and Brandon Nimmo. Texas would love to move at least one of them.
Nimmo seems likely to stay, since the Rangers traded Marcus Semien for him and value his ability to help the on-base percentage. deGrom and Eovaldi are both in the final year of their deals, and the team needs starting pitching, so those contracts are harder to treat as simple trade chips.
That leaves Seager. He has five years left on his contract and makes more than 30 million per year.
Shedding that money would give Texas real flexibility, but only if the return is right. Even at 32 and with his recent injury history, Seager should bring back two or three players, with at least two Major League-ready.
If the Rangers can use that kind of deal to get younger and more athletic, as president of baseball operations Chris Young wants, moving Seager could be the move that helps speed the whole process along.
In Other News...
Sebastian Walcott Is Giving Rangers Fans Another Reason To Believe
Sebastian Walcott keeps giving Rangers followers something to file away for later, and his latest Arizona Fall League showing was another reminder of why. In Surprises 13-2 win over Mesa, the Rangers prospect went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs, continuing a steady run of at-bats as he works his way back from internal brace surgery and gets a longer look against advanced competition.
Walcotts assignment this fall is about more than box scores, though. Texas is using the next stretch to help him regain comfort and keep expanding his game, including work at designated hitter and time in the outfield as he builds toward next season, when he is expected to start at Triple-A Round Rock. For a player with his talent and still-growing profile, every rep has a little extra meaning. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face A Tough Jacob deGrom Decision This Winter
Jacob deGroms future is already looming as one of the Rangers biggest winter decisions, and the conversation has only gotten louder because of the way his contract and no-trade protection shape any possible move. Even after a recent season that reminded everyone how dominant he can still be when healthy, the Rangers have to weigh the reality of his deal against what kind of return would actually make sense if they even chose to explore a trade.
The idea sounds simple until the details get involved. Any hypothetical deal would have to clear deGrom himself, and the kind of young talent Texas would need back would be substantial enough to justify moving on from a pitcher of his stature. For now, it remains exactly what it sounds like: a winter possibility with plenty of intrigue, but no easy path for the Rangers to navigate. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Cant Ignore Their Josh Jung Dilemma Any Longer
Josh Jung keeps giving the Rangers a reminder of why his bat matters so much in the middle of their lineup. Even in a season shortened by injuries, he showed the kind of offensive upside the club has been counting on, putting together career-best production at the plate and reinforcing that when he is on the field, he can change the look of the offense.
The problem for Texas is that the calendar keeps getting in the way of that promise. The Rangers value what Jung brings, but they also have to deal with a body that has not always cooperated, and the challenge now is finding a way to protect his impact without asking him to carry more than he can reasonably handle over a long season. [Read more 🡒]