What We’re Actually Learning About Rangers’ Pitching Staff So Far

SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Texas Rangers are a couple of days away from their spring training exhibition opener against the Kansas City Royals.

For the next several weeks, more than 60 players will be fighting for 26 opening-day roster spots for the team’s trip to Philadelphia on March 26. Many spots are set, but there is plenty of competition to go around.

Here are three things we’ve learned about the pitching staff so far in spring training.

Taking a Full Season Approach

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Marc Church throws the baseball. — Texas Rangers relief pitcher Marc Church. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

New Rangers manager Skip Schumaker has made the rounds throughout the spring, watching bullpens and live batting practice. There are nearly 40 pitchers in camp, and only a couple are limited — Emiliano Teodo and Marc Church.

The temptation is to focus on the opening day roster, and Schumaker gets that. There’s drama around who will make the team and who won’t. But, from his perspective, developing everyone in camp is worth the time, even if only 13 of them will make the opening day roster.

“Listen, we’re going to need all of these guys,” Schumaker said. “I know there’s a lot of emphasis on opening day. It’s exciting to crack an opening day roster. [But] there are a number of guys in this clubhouse that will eventually be on our roster, so it’s important to get them all ready to go.”

Youngsters Making Early Impressions

Skip Schumaker was impressed with Kumar Rocker’s live BP:

“Velo was up, the sinker was real. he threw a couple of four-seams at the top, and the slider and the change-up were both effective to lefties.” pic.twitter.com/WQcFP2QPwM
— Matthew Postins (@PostinsPostcard) February 16, 2026

With the understanding that things can change between February and March, three young pitchers appear to be standing out after more than a week of camp.

Schumaker was impressed with Kumar Rocker’s first official live batting practice of camp. He liked the right-hander’s stuff, particularly how he filled the zone with different pitchers. He also liked Rocker’s new slide step, something he said he wasn’t told to do during the BP. One of Rocker’s issues last season was holding runners at first base.

Rocker is competing with Jacob Latz for the fifth rotation spot. The other four are locked in — Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Jack Leiter and MacKenzie Gore.

Among relievers, Gavin Collyer and Robby Ahlstrom have stood out. Both are on non-roster invites. Collyer has Major League level stuff, according to Schumaker, and struck out Mark Canha and Ezequiel Duran in a live BP on Monday. Texas wants him to fill the zone more consistently.

As for Ahlstrom, the left-hander has a sinker that Schumaker calls “real” and is developing a split to go along with it. Both are stealthy candidates to crash the opening-day bullpen.

The Closer Situation

Josh Jung with a quick connection off Robert Garcia during live BP here in Surprise. pic.twitter.com/9ZVdBPGtir
— Matthew Postins (@PostinsPostcard) February 16, 2026

Nothing is set in stone, but Schumaker has said that Robert Garcia and Chris Martin are likely to get the ninth inning early in the regular season. That leaves room for someone to challenge them.

Last season Garcia had nine saves, tied for the team lead. He went 4-8 with a 2.95 ERA. He didn’t have the job to start the season and lost it after he claimed it. Martin will turn 40 during the season. He went 2-6 with a 2.98 ERA last year and only had two saves as he went on the injured list twice.

Texas must identify reliable ninth inning help because the staff blew 29 saves (37 saves in 66 chances). The Rangers signed Alexis Díaz in the offseason, who was an All-Star closer for the Cincinnati Reds just a couple of years ago. But he had control issues last season and played for three teams.

The Rangers seem intent to let the candidates sort out who will get the ball in those situations early. They appear to be in no rush to find “the man” for the ninth inning. Based on the past few years, it will probably be more than one that handles the job.

Taking a Full Season Approach

Youngsters Making Early Impressions

The Closer Situation

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