Ranking the Texas Rangers Biggest Offseason Needs for 2027

When it comes to what the Texas Rangers need for 2027, president of baseball operations Chris Young laid it out.

He wants a team that is younger, more athletic, versatile and adaptable moving forward. A little toughness and grit wouldn’t hurt, either.

But how he’ll assemble that is unclear. He admitted on Monday that he doesn’t know what his payroll will be for 2027. With a high likelihood for a work stoppage in December, Young may exercise patience in free agency until he knows what the free-agent landscape looks like.

He could trade players. He could trim payroll. He could promote from within. It all appears to be on the table.

Based on where Texas is right now, here are their three biggest needs.

Bullpen

Texas Rangers pitcher Jakob Junis throws a baseball to a hitter. — Texas Rangers pitcher Jakob Junis. Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Rangers are likely going to spend the offseason rebuilding the bullpen on the cheap again. Texas doesn’t have to worry about closer this time around. The Rangers have found that closer in All-Star Jacob Latz.

There are several spots to play with. Five players that were in the bullpen to end the season are free agents. Two were starting pitchers — Jordan Montgomery and Trevor Williams. Two others are lefties — Tyler Alexander and Jalen Beeks, the latter of which had elbow surgery and is unlikely to play in 2027. The last is right-hander Jakob Junis, who has a mutual option on his deal.

What they go after — or try to re-sign — depends on a couple of factors. First is payroll, which Young doesn’t have a clear picture of yet. Second is need. Texas needs a right-handed set-up man if Junis doesn’t return. The Rangers need at least one more left-handed set-up man to go along with Robert Garcia.

Texas has plenty of internal options. But there’s a need for experience in front of Latz on both sides of the mound.

Starting Pitching

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter walks off the field. — Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What was considered the strength of the team did not live up to that expectation. Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi did not reach expectations. Same with left-hander MacKenzie Gore, their biggest offseason pitching acquisition. Jack Leiter missed half the season due to injury. Kumar Rocker took a step back. The best starting pitcher on the team might have been Cal Quantrill.

All the Rangers’ starters are under contract for 2026 except for Quantrill. Young didn’t indicate that moves would be made, but he noted that Leiter and Rocker need to make progress this offseason and in 2027. Can he count on that? He probably shouldn’t. Or at least he should have some backup.

Re-signing Quantrill would be ideal. Same for Montgomery, who has been a starter his entire career. The Rangers could look externally or internally. But standing with the status quo isn’t going to work.

Center Field

Evan Carter has nearly 800 Major League at-bats and has a slash of .215/.307/.368. He has an elite glove, but the left-handed hitter simply hasn’t gotten better at hitting left-handed pitching. Texas would like him to be a player that doesn’t need to be platooned. But right now, the Rangers have no choice. The question is whether Texas has finally reached the end with Carter or wants to give him one more chance?

It’s time to move on. Carter still has value to other teams in trade, even with the issue hitting left-handers. There will be veteran free-agent options, and they have a center fielder in Dylan Dreiling that is one year away from being ready for the Majors. Texas could sign a center fielder to a one-year deal then promote Dreiling for 2028.

Texas could keep Carter and sign a veteran to compete with him in spring training. But the idea that Carter should be given a starting job next year shouldn’t be allowed to happen.

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