Three Rangers Auditioning in September for Spot on Next Year’s Roster

The Texas Rangers have been unable to get any traction on an American League playoff berth. With each passing day, it becomes clear the Rangers are playing out the string.

Even without a playoff berth at stake that doesn't mean there aren't things at stake for the players. It's a 26-man game roster and a 40-man roster. Even though there's a potential work stoppage in December, the Rangers will have to make plenty of decisions before that on what the roster looks like for 2027.

Here are three players, all currently under contract and team control, that need to impress the Rangers down the stretch in order to help ensure a spot on next year's roster.

Evan Carter

No one denies that Evan Carter has potential five-tool talent. But few deny the major flaw in his game. His inability to consistently hit left-handed pitching him nothing more than a platoon matchup against right-handed pitching with an elite glove. Maybe that’s enough for a fourth or fifth outfielder, but it’s not enough for a player of his talent.

The ironic part is that the Rangers have gotten what they wanted out of Carter in terms of health. By focusing on making sure he's available to play every day, as opposed to playing him every day, Carter should play more than 130 games this season, the most of any season in his career. But the odds are good that he'll finish the season batting under .200. It's just not good enough.

The Rangers likely won't non-tender Carter in November, but they could start shopping him in trade. The emergence of Alejandro Osuna at the Major League level and the continued progress of Dylan Dreiling in the minor leagues makes it plausible. Heck, Texas could put Ezequiel Duran there full-time now.

Carter still has trade value. Several teams would be willing to roll the dice. It may be time for the Rangers to move on — he can convince them down the stretch that's something more is coming in 2027.

Cody Freeman

One could say the utility player already has a spot on the 2027 roster, but that's a significant assumption. Freeman battled injuries this season, but he's batted well since returning to the roster full time in August. He could be a potential successor to Duran as the team’s super-utility player, but here are impediments.

Duran should get a full-time role somewhere in 2027, but will he? He’s shown immense value all over the diamond. Justin Foscue has proven his worth as a right-handed hitting DH against left-handers and can play second base. Josh Jung could return from the injured list this weekend and he should be the starter at third base next season.

See the issue? The playing time dries up fast. Freeman could be the last player on the bench next year, but is that where he’s most valuable? These last games are critical down the stretch to proving he can be an everyday contributor in 2027 — assuming the Rangers don’t option him to make room for Jung.

Kumar Rocker

The Rangers have given Rocker a full season of starts and his performance has been a mixed bag. At times he has shown the stuff that made him a first-round pick, but he hasn't been nearly consistent enough.

Texas used an opener in front of him twice and he was effective, but the third time they tried it Rocker’s performance suffered. He's been unable to provide the Rangers consistent production as a pitcher, not even at home we're earlier this season he looked more comfortable.

It's true he's thrown more innings this season than he's ever thrown as a pro. But the Rangers knew they were going to use Rocker as an everyday starter when he won the job in March. Had they wanted to manage his innings, they would have done so earlier in the season.

It's unlikely Rocker would lose a roster spot, but his role may have to change. Having proven relatively ineffective as a starter for more than a season, perhaps his stuff would be better served in a relief role? It's been speculated about before and the Rangers may have to consider it in 2027. Otherwise, Rocker really could be fighting for a roster spot next opening day.

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