The Rangers enter the offseason with plenty unresolved, and that uncertainty lands hardest on a few players who should still be around when 2027 opens. Texas barely missed the postseason, and if it wants a better shot at getting back there, the internal bounce-backs matter just as much as any outside additions.
That puts a spotlight on three players who are likely to survive the winter, but not the scrutiny. Their jobs may be safe for now.
Their standing by next year? That’s another story.
Evan Carter is first on that list, and the gap between what he was and what he’s become is impossible to ignore. In 2023, his first big league season, Carter hit .306/.413/.645 across 23 games in September and played a major part in the Rangers’ World Series run, batting .300/.417/.500 in 72 plate appearances.
Since then, injuries and minor-league assignments have slowed everything down. He appeared in only 108 games from 2024-25, then stayed mostly healthy in 2026 but produced a .602 OPS over 141 games.
His defense still gives him value, and that may buy him some room. But Texas can’t keep running out an everyday outfielder who isn’t producing at the plate.
Logan O’Hoppe is another name worth watching closely after Texas picked him up from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline. The 26-year-old catcher barely had time to settle in, getting just 18 plate appearances with the Rangers.
He finished 6-for-17 in those chances and spent most of his post-deadline time with Triple-A Round Rock. O’Hoppe came to Texas with a mixed track record, posting 2.2 bWAR over 386 games with the Angels after debuting in 2022.
He was once the Angels’ No. 1 prospect, and the Rangers may be hoping a new setting unlocks something more. He looks positioned for a bigger role next year, and if he gets off to a strong start, he could take over as the starting catcher for the long haul.
If not, Texas may decide he doesn’t fit into its future.
Jack Leiter rounds out the group, and his case is built on both pedigree and pressure. Texas took him No. 2 overall in the 2021 Draft, and his path has already had more turbulence than the Rangers wanted.
After a short and rough 2024, he settled into a better 2025, putting up a 3.86 ERA with 148 strikeouts over 151 2/3 innings, though he still handed out 67 walks. Then came a difficult 2026: Leiter made only 15 starts before a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery, and he finished with a 5.29 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP over 80 innings.
If he doesn’t get back on track quickly next year, Texas could send him to Triple-A Round Rock.
In Other News...
Rangers Rotation Search May Be Zeroing In On A Needed Veteran Lefty
The Rangers have several holes to address this offseason, and the rotation remains one of the bigger ones after a year in which adding a reliable arm could help steady the group around the edges. Center field will draw plenty of attention, but the pitching side has a chance to shape how the front office spends, especially if it wants a starter who can bring some left-handed balance to the staff.
Trevor Rogers has emerged as a name worth watching as Texas weighs possible multi-year options. With a career 3.88 ERA and recent underlying performance that points toward a fit in the Rangers plans, he checks some of the boxes a team in need of rotation help would want. The question now is whether the Rangers decide his profile matches the type of veteran presence they want to build around this winter. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Offseason Reset Starts With One Crucial Offensive Decision
The Rangers are heading into an offseason defined by accountability, and president of baseball operations Chris Young has already owned his part in a year that fell short. Texas finished with 80 wins, missed the playoffs for the third straight season and came up one game behind the Astros in the AL West, a frustrating finish for a roster that never quite found enough consistency at the plate. Young said changes are coming, and the coaching staff appears to be the first place the club will look for a reset.
Skip Schumaker is expected to be part of those conversations, and he acknowledged the coaching staff will be addressed soon. The most immediate focus is the lead hitting coach role, a reflection of how stagnant the offense looked over the course of the season. For a Rangers team that still believes it can contend in a tightly packed division, the next step is less about a wholesale teardown than finding the right voices to help the lineup take a real step forward. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Reunion Idea Hinges On One Big Question About A Familiar Arm
Jordan Montgomery is one of those familiar names the Cardinals keep circling back to when the conversation turns to veteran starting pitching. He already has a history in St. Louis, and the appeal is easy to see for a club that has leaned into adding experienced arms during the offseason. Even with the injury interruptions and uneven stretches that have followed him in recent years, Montgomery still fits the profile of the kind of stabilizing arm a team like this can consider when it is trying to shore up a rotation and keep flexibility for later.
The bigger issue is simply whether he looks like the same pitcher once he is on the mound. Montgomery did show signs of health in 2026, which is enough to keep the idea alive, but the Cardinals would still be weighing durability against the possibility that he could provide both innings and value down the line. If he checks out, he offers more than nostalgia for a reunion. He could give them a veteran presence now and maybe even an asset they can move if the season takes a different turn. [Read more 🡒]