The Rangers didn’t exactly storm into the Aug. 3 trade deadline looking for bullpen fireworks, and the quiet finish starts to make more sense when you look at what’s happened inside the roster.
Texas addressed the relief group by landing right-hander Chase Silseth, and the club also picked up left-hander Adam Macko from the Toronto Blue Jays in the Josh Smith trade, though Macko is currently with Triple-A Round Rock. But the bigger explanation may be the rise of left-hander Robby Ahlstrom, who has turned into one of the more useful arms in the bullpen after arriving in the majors in June.
Ahlstrom, 27, spent years grinding through the minors before getting his shot. His first 17 big league appearances were rocky - a 7.07 ERA - but since then he’s been exactly what Texas needed. Over his last 12 outings, he has worked 10 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and one walk while striking out 13.
For a Rangers bullpen that has struggled for much of the year, that stretch has mattered. Texas now holds a one-game lead over the Detroit Tigers for the third American League Wild Card spot, and Ahlstrom’s emergence has given the club another reason to stay measured rather than chase more relief help at the deadline.
That possibility becomes even clearer when you factor in the return of Jordan Montgomery and Cody Bradford, plus the addition of Cal Quantrill to the bullpen mix. With those pieces in play, the Rangers likely felt comfortable making only the moves they did.
Ahlstrom’s stuff has been part of the story too. He throws a mid-90s fastball 33.6% of the time, along with a mid-80s slider at 24.3%, a mid-90s sinker at 22.3%, a mid-80s changeup at 14.0%, and a low-80s curveball at 5.9%.
What makes the run even more striking is how far Ahlstrom has come from prospect status. He was never ranked among the Rangers’ top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline. The Yankees drafted him in the seventh round, No. 213 overall, in 2021 out of Oregon, then traded him and right-hander Albert Abreu to Texas for catcher Jose Trevino on April 2, 2022.
His early minor league work was uneven. In 2022, he posted a 3.55 ERA in 38 innings over nine appearances, including six starts, at Single-A before moving up to High-A, where he struggled to a 6.14 ERA in 51 1/3 innings across 13 outings, 11 of them starts. Texas moved him into relief full time in 2023, and he responded with a 3.86 ERA in 58 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A.
The progress kept building from there. Ahlstrom posted a 2.53 ERA in 2024 and a 3.28 ERA in 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A, then earned his promotion to the majors after putting up a 2.76 ERA over 29 1/3 innings with Round Rock this season.
In Other News...
Jordan Montgomery's Return Left Rangers Watching One Late-Season Question
Jordan Montgomery was back on a big-league mound for Texas for the first time since the end of the 2024 season, and the return came with the kind of work-in-progress feel the Rangers have been bracing for. In four innings against Baltimore, he gave up three earned runs, a reminder that even a familiar arm can take some time to settle in after a long layoff. For a club still trying to sort through its late-season picture, getting Montgomery back in the mix mattered as much as the line score.
Skip Schumaker did not sound discouraged afterward, pointing to the possibility of more coming as Montgomery builds back up. There is still other movement on the horizon, too, with catcher Danny Jansen expected to begin a rehab assignment soon and Jack Leiter likely to start one this week. For Texas, the bigger question now is not just whether Montgomery can round into form, but how quickly the roster around him starts to look more complete. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Are Betting On New Bullpen Arms To Fix A Lingering Problem
The Rangers moved on from Chris Martin on Aug. 8, ending a short and frustrating run for the veteran right-hander after he was designated for assignment and cleared waivers. Injuries had complicated his season from the start, and the results never matched the clubs hopes, with Martin struggling to a 9.00 ERA over 14 innings before his release.
Now Texas is trying to patch a familiar bullpen gap with a different look, turning to Chase Silseth and Peyton Gray for right-handed middle relief work. It is a low-profile move on paper, but for a Rangers staff that has been searching for dependable answers in the middle innings, these are the kinds of innings that can quietly shape a stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face A Brutal AL West Test They Have To Pass
The Rangers left Baltimore with a series win, even if the trip ended on a sour note, and now the schedule turns back toward a division test that could shape the next stretch of their season. They are heading out for a seven-game road trip against the Angels and Athletics, two clubs already out of playoff contention, which on paper should be a chance to bank wins and keep their momentum moving in the right direction.
For Texas, though, the real issue is not the opponent as much as the setting. The Rangers have not played well on the road against AL West teams this season, and this stretch carries extra weight because every division game can matter when the standings tighten later on. If they are going to keep their playoff chase in good position, this is the kind of road trip they have to handle better than they have so far. [Read more 🡒]