History Tells Rangers They'll Need Significant Starting Pitching Depth

The Texas Rangers have a number in mind in terms of how many starting pitchers they’ll need for the 2026 season.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter pitches in a game. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

After the Texas Rangers traded for MacKenzie Gore the franchise has four rock-solid starters for the 2026 season.

Gore slides in behind Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, and alongside Jack Leiter. The competition is now for a fifth starter according to president of baseball operations Chris Young. But Texas won’t ignore building more depth, either.

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The Rangers have agreed to a deal with Austin Gomber, a former starter with the Colorado Rockies. He’s a longshot candidate for the opening-day starting rotation. But he could be a sign-and-stash for later this season. After all, injuries happen. Young knows it.

During a recent conversation with media, Young was asked about the ideal number of starting pitchers for a season. He was offered a range and, well, Young said it depends.

Chris Young on Rotation Depth

Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young smiles to fans at a parade. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“Our hope is that we only need, you know, seven or eight,” Young said. “But it could be, you know, it could be nine, could be 10. It just depends. It's hard to predict.”

Last year is an instructive guide. The Rangers used 10 different starting pitchers. That list included deGrom, Eovaldi and Leiter. Patrick Corbin and Tyler Mahle were key parts of the rotation. But Eovaldi and Mahle missed time due to injuries. That led to the use of Kumar Rocker and Jacob Latz in the rotation. Texas also traded for Merrill Kelly for the final two months of the season.

The other two starters were relievers — Shawn Armstrong and Caleb Boushley. The pair were openers at times when the rotation was overtaxed or lacked depth. That doesn’t include Jon Gray, a starter who was injured in spring training and returned as a reliever.

Even with the changes, the Rangers had one of the best starter ERAs in baseball. That explains Young’s desire for depth.

The fifth starter spot will likely come down to Rocker and Latz in spring training. Rocker was in the minor leagues for the second half of the season working on control issues. Latz was as swing starter who is just as valuable in the bullpen. Cody Bradford, who missed last season with an elbow injury that led to surgery, could be ready as early as May. With Gomber on a minor league deal, that gives Texas eight.

But that’s not all, in Young’s mind.

“Some of it's going to depend on the development internally,” Young said.

That could include Jose Corniell, who made his MLB debut last September as a reliever, and Winston Santos, a highly regarded prospect.

Young says he always keeps an open mind about adding players, especially when it comes to starting pitchers. Texas had good luck last year getting Corbin on a one-year deal when he was unsigned in mid-March. The Rangers could go that route again if they suffer injuries in spring training.

Texas sees strength in numbers, and it enters spring training with the depth they need in tow.