Rangers Bullpen Signings Reflect Philosophy on Make-Up, Spending

The Texas Rangers are rebuilding its bullpen in last year’s image, but with a smaller budget then a season ago.

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The Texas Rangers had one of the best bullpens in baseball a year ago and did it on a shoestring budget. The Rangers are hoping to do it again in 2026.

Despite a bullpen market that moved much faster than the market for starting pitching the Rangers have signed two new bullpen arms to Major League contracts — Alexis Diaz and Tyler Alexander. The Rangers are also on the verge of re-signing one of last season’s relievers, Chris Martin, to a one-year deal.

It’s highly unlikely any of them will get top dollar. In fact, president of baseball operations Chris Young doesn’t seem burdened by trying to compete for the top of the market.

“The top of the reliever market has been impacted by the fact that these guys are great players, and they don't grow on trees, so teams have to pay a lot of money to get them,” Young said on Tuesday during a Zoom call with the media. “And so that's, you know, we haven't been competing at the top of the market, but nonetheless, there is a trickle-down effect.”

Young has made it clear this offseason that he has less money to spend in free agency. But the profile of the player Texas is looking for hasn’t changed.

Repeating Rangers Bullpen Dominance in 2026

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Last season, Texas’ bullpen ERA was 3.62, the fifth-best rate in baseball.  Combine that with the starting rotation and Texas’ overall ERA was the best in the Majors at 3.47. Many of the free agents that Young and general manager Ross Fenstermaker brought in pitched well, especially Hoby Milner, Shawn Armstrong, Jacob Webb and Martin.

Each of those relievers fit a particular profile that worked in 2025, Fenstermaker said.

“I think one of the things we set out to accomplish last offseason that we learned from was the value of attacking the strike zone and getting ahead and creating count leverage,” Fenstermaker said. “Now we created a variety of options for our group to deploy differently in the bullpen, different pockets …just creating that variety for a manager to deploy strategically helped.”

Young said earlier this offseason that the Rangers were in touch with their free agent relievers. To this point, Martin is the only one to return. Phil Maton and Hoby Milner both signed with the Chicago Cubs. Both signed deals for significantly more money than they made a season ago. Martin’s terms are not yet known

Armstrong is still on the market and is reportedly seeking a two-year deal. Danny Coulombe remains on the market, as does Jon Gray, though he is likely looking for a team where he can start — if he intends to play in 2026.

Robert Garcia, Cole Winn, Luis Curvelo and Jacob Latz are all under contract. Young gave the sense on Tuesday that the Rangers aren’t done with signing relievers yet.

“We've been very good about being disciplined to the types of players and profiles and people that we feel like fit what we need,” Young said. “And we're going to continue to do that and try to be opportunistic when those players are available and ready to sign.”