After questions about whether the club was going to move Corey Seager last winter, the Rangers didn’t do that. Instead, the club ran out a mostly similar lineup in 2026 compared to 2025, aside from newcomer Brandon Nimmo. Overall, things went well for the Rangers’ offense. But some upcoming holes could use replacements.
Biggest needs for Rangers
As far as the offense was concerned, it was a very good 2026 campaign for the likes of Brandon Nimmo, Jake Burger, and later on in the summer, for Corey Seager. Ezequiel Duran had a good year, and Joc Pederson found his groove once more after what was a very difficult 2025 season.
Pederson signed a two-year deal back in 2024, making him a free agent in November. The designated hitter obviously didn’t take the opt-out he had after 2025, and wound up benefiting in a big way. Should the Rangers not bring him back, a replacement option wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Now, the Rangers do have to figure out what to do with others on the roster, aside from the potential exit of Joc Pederson. Evan Carter, once a shining prospect in the Rangers’ system, had just a .274 wOBA this season and batted .194. The clock has begun to tick on him.
Aside from a potential OF/DH option, there’s also the question of what to do with the catching position. Kyle Higashioka, in the second and final year of his two-year deal, only played in 56 games and was stashed away on rehab over the final weeks of 2026.
Texas will need someone, whether it be bringing back Elias Diaz, using Logan O’Hoppe, or adding someone else, to slot alongside Danny Jansen. Jansen signed a two-year deal with the Rangers back in December 2025.
As for the pitching staff, the Rangers’ bullpen is far less of a concern heading into 2027, compared to past years. Jacob Latz established himself as a breakout star last season, while Chase Silseth, acquired close to the deadline, has plenty of service time to go before he can become a free agent.
A back-end starting pitcher to slot in behind Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Mackenzie Gore, and Kumar Rocker would make sense here. Cal Quantrill, for what it’s worth, pitched very well in that back-end role last year.
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