Texas Rangers' Approach to Building Bullpen Makes Sense With Farm System Depth

The Texas Rangers could have a long-term plan in place with their bullpen that impacted decisions made this offseason.

Jul 6, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jacob Latz (67) in action during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Nothing went right for the Texas Rangers during the 2024 season, as they failed to even qualify for the playoffs after winning the World Series in 2023.

Looking to ensure there isn’t a repeat of underwhelming performances on the field, the front office got to work upgrading the roster. 

Where the biggest overhaul took place was on the pitching staff, specifically in the bullpen.

Manager Bruce Bochy is going to have nearly an entirely new group of relief pitchers to work with in 2025 after a mass exodus in free agency occurred this winter.

Veteran Jose Leclerc signed a deal with the Athletics, while closer Kirby Yates departed for the Los Angeles Dodgers. David Robertson and Andrew Chafin remain free agents but should land deals soon with Spring Training right around the corner.

Jacob Latz pitched the most out of the Rangers bullpen in 2024 among the players who are returning. He made 46 appearances and threw 43.2 innings. The next most is Josh Sborz with 17 appearances and 16.1 innings.

Helping replace all of the players who departed will be Chris Martin, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, Shawn Armstrong and Robert Garcia.

It will be interesting to see how things shake out for Bochy, as there will be a lot of new faces to call upon with very little late-game experience to rely on. 

Adding another veteran to the mix who has closing experience, whether it is bringing back Robertson or targeting someone such as Kyle Finnegan, would make a lot of sense.

However, when taking a look at the team’s minor league system, a pretty clear picture is painted as to why the team has taken this approach with the bullpen heading into 2025 despite looking to contend; there is plenty of help on the way.

“They also have a big collection of probably reliever types who could help them build a cheap and effective bullpen in a year or two — more likely two,” wrote Keith Law of The Athletic.

Every relief pitcher who signed a free-agent contract was for only one year. 

Garcia, who was acquired in a trade from the Washington Nationals in exchange for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, is a long-term piece who is under team control through the 2029 campaign.

He is the only player assured of remaining with the team beyond 2025, as the Rangers certainly had an eye toward the future when figuring out how to fill out their bullpen this offseason.

Expect some of those bullpen arms Law mentioned to start making their way to the Major League team this year. They will be the first call-ups should injuries arise or players don’t produce.

If a closer does not emerge from this group, they can dip into the market at the trade deadline or next winter in free agency to address that need.