Rangers Get Average Offseason Grade from ESPN
The Texas Rangers will host their first workouts of Spring Training on Wednesday. But the grades are still rolling in from their offseason.
ESPN highlighted each team’s biggest additions and departures and then provided a grade.
Earlier this season the Rangers moved up from No. 21 to No. 17 in ESPN’s most recent power rankings.
Per ESPN:
New GM Chris Young added four new starting pitchers to a rotation that ranked 25th in the majors -- including one who might be the best in the majors if he stays healthy. That's the catch with this offseason: It could pay off huge and the Rangers could go from 94 losses to 94 wins, but on the flip side, deGrom has been injured the past two seasons and Eovaldi and Heaney also spent a lot of time on the injured list in 2022. I understand the gamble for a franchise that hasn't had a winning record and playoff appearance since 2016, so this is the ultimate "check back in October" grade. I do think it was a mistake not to address the outfield (27th in the majors in OPS).
The Rangers set a goal of improving their starting pitcher and they succeeded in either signing or trading for four veterans — Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, Jake Odorizzi and Nathan Eovaldi. The Rangers also managed to keep ace Martín Pérez for another season, and Jon Gray is in the second year of a four-year deal. At one point, Gray was the only veteran starter under contract for 2023.
But the Rangers added little else this offseason. Plus, one of the bullpen’s biggest pieces from a year ago, left-hander Matt Moore, remains on the free-agent market.
Rangers position players report to Surprise on Monday, with the first Spring Training game set for Feb. 24 against Kansas City.
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