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The Texas Rangers are not pretending the 2026 season will take care of itself, even after an offseason that quietly stabilized much of the roster. According to reporting from the Dallas Morning News, president of baseball operations Chris Young believes the organization is in a strong place entering spring training—but not a finished one.
Young told beat writer Shawn McFarland that the Rangers feel “pretty good” about where the position-player group stands with camp approaching, a notable vote of confidence after a winter defined more by subtraction and targeted rebalancing than splashy spending. Texas locked in contracts, avoided arbitration drama, and reshaped its lineup in a way that reflects both financial reality and a desire for steadier on-base production.
Rangers Comfortable With Lineup After Strategic Reshaping
The most dramatic changes came with the exits of Adolis García and Jonah Heim, two core pieces of the 2023 championship run. García landed with the Phillies, while Heim remains unsigned. Rather than replace them directly, Texas shifted its offensive profile by acquiring Brandon Nimmo from the Mets in the Marcus Semien trade, betting on plate discipline, versatility, and lineup balance over raw power.
That shift explains Young’s comfort level with the position-player side. A projected everyday group featuring Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford, Joc Pederson, Nimmo, and Danny Jansen offers depth, flexibility, and fewer feast-or-famine outcomes. Health remains the variable, but on paper, the Rangers believe they have enough to compete offensively in the AL West.
Pitching Depth Remains the Final Piece
Where Young was more cautious—and more revealing—was on the pitching side.
According to McFarland, the Rangers would still like to improve depth in both the rotation and bullpen. FanGraphs currently projects a rotation headlined by Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, followed by a high-variance mix of Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, and Jacob Latz. The upside is obvious. The risk is just as clear.
Texas is not counting on deGrom to carry 200 innings, nor are they pretending that young arms will seamlessly absorb workload without turbulence. Adding one more stabilizing starter—whether via free agency or late-market trade—would fit Young’s history of insulating upside with reliability.
The bullpen tells a similar story. The Rangers are encouraged by the offseason progress of Alexis Díaz, who is attempting to bounce back from a disastrous 2025 that saw him post an 8.15 ERA across three teams. Internally, there’s a belief that Díaz can rediscover the form that once made him a reliable late-inning option, but belief alone does not equal certainty.
That’s why veteran depth remains a priority. Someone like Chris Martin would not be brought in to headline the bullpen but to raise its floor. Texas does not need perfection out of the relief corps—it needs competence and consistency.
Taken together, Young’s comments paint a picture of a front office that understands where the roster is strong and where it remains fragile. The Rangers are not rebuilding. They are not all-in. They are calibrating.
If the pitching depth improves even marginally, Texas could look less like a transition team and more like a legitimate postseason threat in 2026. For now, Young’s message is clear: the foundation is set, but the job isn’t finished yet.
Alvin Garcia Born in Puerto Rico, Alvin Garcia is a sports writer for Heavy.com who focuses on MLB. His work has appeared on FanSided, LWOS, NewsBreak, Athlon Sports, and Yardbarker, covering mostly MLB. More about Alvin Garcia
