Texas Rangers Star Pitcher Predicted To Land With AL West Rival in Free Agency

The Texas Rangers pitching staff has undergone some major changes during the MLB offseason with several veterans looking as if they won’t return.

Closer Kirby Yates has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, becoming the latest player to join the superteam the defending World Series champions have put together.

Elite setup man David Robertson remains available in free agency and should see his market heat up soon. With the top closing options slowly coming off the board, he looks to be next in line for teams in need of bullpen help.

Anyone looking for a left-handed reliever can also turn to former Rangers pitcher Andrew Chafin. He has been connected to the New York Yankees and remains a productive player out of the bullpen.

In the starting rotation, Texas looks like they are going to be moving on from future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer.

The team re-signed Nathan Eovaldi earlier in free agency to a three-year, $75 million deal so they look set at the moment. They will be counting on injury bounce backs from Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle, and youngsters Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter to live up to expectations.

Where could Scherzer end up as a free agent?

There have been reports recently that the Toronto Blue Jays are emerging as a suitor, as they are desperate to spend money. They made a splash earlier this week by agreeing to a massive contract with former Baltimore Orioles All-Star right fielder Anthony Santander and are willing to spend more.

Another team to keep an eye on, in the opinion of Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, is the Houston Astros.

In a recent piece, he shared predictions on how the starting rotation of every team in baseball would look once Opening Day rolls around, and he thinks the future Hall of Famer will be taking the place of another player of that caliber; former teammate Justin Verlander.

“Justin Verlander signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Giants earlier this month, and Max Scherzer could be available at a similar price point. His days of chewing through 200 innings are likely behind him, but he can help bridge the gap while the Astros wait on Luis García to finish his Tommy John recovery.”

One year and $15 million seems to be the going rate for veterans with established track records.

Alex Cobb also signed for that amount in a deal with the Detroit Tigers despite making only three regular season starts in 2024.

Scherzer was far from dominant while making only nine starts himself last year, as signs of wear and tear have begun to show. He has made at least 30 starts only once in the last six campaigns.

There is still a lot he can bring to the table from a leadership perspective, as his championship experience is invaluable.

It certainly wouldn’t hurt the Rangers to bring him back, especially if it means ensuring they won’t have to face him on a division rival in 2025.