Three Relief Pitchers for Rangers to Pursue During Free Agency

The Texas Rangers can’t afford to be cheap when it comes to creating next year’s bullpen.

A Texas Rangers cap and baseball mitt sit on the dugout steps during a game against the Athletics at Globe Life Field. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers already have several pieces of last year’s bullpen under contract or team control for 2026.

That includes Robert Garcia, Cole Winn, Luis Curvelo, Jacob Latz, Josh Sborz and Jose Corniell. That’s a good start, but Texas will need more to be competitive in the American League West in 2026.

That’s where free agency comes in. Here are three names the Rangers could pursue to add depth to the bullpen into the 2026 season.

While the Rangers are trying to trim payroll, the bullpen — namely a closer — could be the one area where the Rangers spend, given their terrible conversion rate of 2025, in which they blew 29 saves.

RHP Edwin Diaz

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If there is one area where the Rangers should break the bank it’s a closer. The position has been a sore spot for Texas the past three seasons and given last year’s failures it really can’t afford to not have a closer in 2026. Diaz just opted out of his deal with the New York Mets and is now the top-rated closer on the market.

So, yes, if the Rangers want to lock down the best closer on the market, he’s the guy to go after. He has 253 career saves and is entering his age 32 seasons. Baseball America (subscription required) projects that Diaz will make $125 million over six years, a cost of 20.8 million per year. For reliability, he would be well worth it. Chances are, it’s just a pipe dream.

There are other options that are less expensive. But they’re also less reliable.

RHP Shawn Armstrong

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The 34-year-old right-hander seems to be the one reliever the Rangers could reasonably get back on a budget. Armstrong went 4-3 with a 2.31 ERA and emerged as the Rangers’ closer down the stretch, as he saved nine games in 12 chances. He’s always been a durable set-up man but has never been given the chance to be a full-time closer.

Texas could re-sign him to be their closer but not have to pay him closer money. He’s well-respected and can play multiple roles in a bullpen, which makes him an attractive re-sign for Texas — and an attractive signing for other teams.

RHP Luke Weaver

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Weaver has been one of the best relievers in baseball the past two years. In 2024 he went 7-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 62 games. Last season he went 4-4 with a 3.62 ERA in 64 games. He had a combined 12 saves. He had 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings across those two seasons. He can close, he can set up, he can pitch multiple innings. He also has postseason experience.

Baseball America projects he could net a deal worth $15 million per year.