It’s mid-November, and the Rangers are juggling a lot at once. There’s the bigger-picture noise around the roster, the possibility of a lockout, and the usual offseason churn. But tucked underneath all of that are a few smaller moves that still matter, especially for a club trying to patch together a better 2027.
One of the most notable developments came away from the field entirely: Chris Martin has retired after 11 Major League seasons. The 40-year-old’s run in Texas had two separate chapters, first arriving in 2018 before coming back for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
His 2025 work was especially strong, as he turned in a 2.98 ERA across 49 appearances and 42 1/3 innings. The Rangers brought him back hoping for more of the same, but age and injuries got in the way, and Texas released him in August.
Martin’s career had plenty of twists before that final stretch. He debuted in 2014, struggled to establish himself early, and later rebuilt his value in Japan.
Over 88 1/3 innings in the NPB, he put up a 1.12 ERA, which helped lead him back to the Rangers in December 2017. By the end, he had appeared in 434 games, logged 403 innings, and finished with a 3.53 ERA.
He also won a World Series with the Atlanta Braves in 2021.
The Rangers also made a change on the coaching staff, hiring Tommy Joseph as major league hitting coach. Joseph will work under Justin Viele after Alex Cintrón was removed as assistant hitting coach and shifted into another role in the organization.
Texas is clearly looking for a spark on offense, and Joseph arrives with some recent experience, having served as an assistant hitting coach with the Seattle Mariners in 2024 and the Baltimore Orioles in 2025. He also has minor league coaching experience.
At 35, Joseph brings another layer to the job because he once played in the Rangers’ minor league system. In 2018, he hit .284/.351/.533 with 21 homers between Double-A and Triple-A. The hope is that he can help unlock a more versatile version of the lineup and offer some fresh ideas to an offense that has been quiet for much of the last three years.
The bullpen market, meanwhile, just got a lot more expensive. Evan Phillips, one of the relievers the Rangers could have considered, is off the board after signing a three-year, $35 million deal with the Atlanta Braves on November 12. That’s a hefty price for a pitcher with his injury history, especially after he missed almost all of 2025 and the first half of 2026 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Phillips had been a tempting name for Texas because of what he did in Los Angeles. From 2022 through 2024, he posted a 2.12 ERA over 179 innings and looked like the kind of high-end arm that can change a bullpen.
But that contract changes the conversation for everyone else in the reliever class. For a Rangers team that needs help in the late innings and may not have much money to spend, the market just got tougher.
If this keeps up, Chris Young may be forced back into the same bargain-hunting approach, searching for relief help where the prices are still manageable.
In Other News...
Phillies May Be Headed For A Trea Turner Decision Fans Feared
The Phillies are already looking ahead to possible roster changes after the 2026 season, and one of the biggest questions hanging over that plan is what happens at shortstop. Trea Turner has been central to Philadelphias infield since arriving there, but the idea that the club could eventually explore moving him has started to surface as part of a broader reshaping of the roster.
On the other side of the conversation, the Rangers have been mentioned as a team that could be open to dealing Corey Seager, even with his no-trade clause in place. Seager would have to approve any move, and that alone makes the idea complicated, but the fit has been floated enough to get attention. For now, it remains only a possibility, with no deal confirmed and plenty still to sort through before either club would seriously go down that road. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Interest In A Power Bat Creates One Huge Roster Problem
The Rangers are already being asked to think about 2027, and Chris Young has made clear the payroll is expected to stay flat around $190 million. That matters because Texas is also being linked to Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, a power bat who is available through the NPB posting process and comes with both a limited signing window and the kind of salary commitment that can ripple through the rest of the roster.
For Texas, the appeal is obvious. Sato would bring a different kind of impact to a lineup that could use it, but the path to getting him is anything but simple. The Rangers would have to clear both money and a roster spot, and that is where the conversation gets uncomfortable, with the possibility of moving established players such as Corey Seager and weighing how positional fit and team control fit into the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Corey Seager Could Dictate The Rangers Offseason Plans
Corey Seagers future is shaping up to be one of the biggest variables in the Rangers offseason, and not just because of his production. He has 10-5 rights, which gives him the ability to veto any trade, and that alone makes any potential move far more complicated for Texas as it tries to map out its next steps.
A report said Seager would be open to a trade if the right fit emerged, but there are plenty of hurdles in the way. His contract is a major commitment, his injury history will be part of any teams evaluation, and possible MLB salary cap talks could further narrow the market. Agent Scott Boras made it clear the decision to waive the no-trade clause is Seagers to make, leaving the Rangers waiting on a choice that could shape the rest of their winter. [Read more 🡒]