Position the Texas Rangers Must Address for This Offseason to Be a Success

The Texas Rangers have areas where they need to improve. But there is one position that is a “must improve” going into the 2027 season.

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Trying to improve an aging team won’t be easy for Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young.

He oversees one of the oldest rosters in baseball. He has big money tied up in a handful of players, most of which have a no-trade clause in their contracts. The farm system isn’t as fertile as it was a few years ago. Trying to improve a team from within will be tough.

Texas could use more assets in the starting rotation. Several pieces of last year’s bullpen are free agents. Most of the position players are under contract or team control.

But, of all the position decisions the Rangers face in 2027, this is the one that must be addressed.

Rangers Must Address This Position in 2027

Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter. Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s center field. Texas cannot have another season of the production it received from Evan Carter.

The issue for Carter throughout his career has been health. It’s ironic that he had his worst statistical season when he was his most available. He played in 141 games, the most of his career, but slashed .194/.288/.315 with nine home runs and 40 RBI. By virtue of the number of games he played, he set career highs in home runs and RBI. His batting average was better than his .188 in 2024, but he only played in 45 games.

Worse, Carter remains an issue against left-handed pitching. He slashed .134/.194/.134 against left-handers in 2026. If he hit right-handers better, then Texas could platoon him. But he only hit .207/.306/.352 against right-handers.

He is an elite defender. He is Gold Glove material in that regard. But at age 24 with 791 career at-bats he’s already hit a crossroads in his career and the Rangers must figure out what to do with him. Young pointed to Carter as one of four younger players that must improve in 2027.

He isn’t yet arbitration-eligible so keeping him won’t cost much, even under the auspices of a new collective bargaining agreement. What are the options?

Texas can keep Carter and platoon him with an internal candidate they trust to start 2027. That could be Ezequiel Duran, who took on center field against left-handed pitching late in the season. That could Alejandro Osuna, also a left-handed hitter who hits lefties much better (.311/.367/.311) and can play center field but is better suited to be a corner outfielder.

The Rangers could sign a veteran center field to pair with Carter in a platoon. It’s a thin free-agent market in the outfield across all three positions. Texas needs a center fielder that can get on base consistently and match Carter’s defense. Power is less of a pre-requisite.

Texas could also trade Carter. Even with the offensive struggles he still has value. He has 20/20 potential as a hitter. Combine that with his glove and some teams will seek him in a trade, if he’s made available.

The Rangers don’t have that much in the pipeline when it comes to center field. Their best bet for the future is Dylan Dreiling. The former University of Tennessee star is coming off a brilliant 2026 in which he slashed .312/.380/.516 with 22 home runs and 84 RBI at Double-A Frisco. But he’s likely to need one more year of at-bats at Triple-A Round Rock to be ready for the Majors.

The Rangers have a decision to make and it’s a big one. Texas has several pathways. But one thing is clear — it can’t have another season in center field like the one Carter just delivered.