The Texas Rangers are making moves as they gear up for the new season, agreeing to terms with left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks on a major league contract. While the deal awaits a physical, the Rangers will need to shuffle their 40-man roster to make room for Beeks, represented by Frontline.
Beeks is coming off a solid 2025 with the Diamondbacks, where he posted a 3.77 ERA over 57 1/3 innings in 61 appearances. Despite a mid-season stint on the injured list due to lower back inflammation, he wrapped up the year as a key veteran in Arizona’s bullpen, giving up just four runs in his final 16 1/3 innings.
At 32, Beeks isn’t your typical lefty reliever. He doesn’t rely heavily on a breaking ball, using his cutter sparingly.
Instead, he leans on a 94-95 mph fastball and a changeup in the upper 80s, which is his go-to for striking out batters. This approach has kept his performance consistent against both left and right-handed hitters, with similar slash lines but a higher strikeout rate against lefties.
With the season approaching, Beeks has a short window to prepare. The Rangers’ bullpen is shaping up to be a mix of roles, with Robert Garcia as their main high-leverage lefty, potentially seeing some save opportunities. Tyler Alexander is expected to handle long relief duties, while Beeks will likely face left-on-left matchups in the middle innings.
Joining Beeks in the bullpen are Garcia, Chris Martin, Cole Winn, Jakob Junis, and Alexander, all set for Opening Day. Former Reds closer Alexis Díaz has struggled this spring, allowing eight runs in just 1 2/3 innings, suggesting he might start the season in Triple-A given his remaining options.
Rule 5 pick Carter Baumler is also in the mix, needing to stay on the MLB roster or be returned to the Orioles. He’s shown promise with a strong 4-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 5 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, minor league signees Ryan Brasier and Josh Sborz are battling for spots, with Sborz having a standout spring.
As observed by Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports, this bullpen setup might hint at the Rangers’ rotation plans. Jacob Latz, primarily a reliever last year, is vying for the fifth starter role against Kumar Rocker. While Rocker has the pedigree, Latz outperformed him in 2025, and their spring performances haven’t shown a clear leader.
If Rocker ends up as the fifth starter, the Rangers could enter the season with four lefties in the bullpen, a higher number than most teams prefer, possibly giving Latz an edge for the rotation spot and sending Rocker to Triple-A to start the year.
