Now that the boys of summer have begun their spring training, we look back on a winter of discontent, followed by excitement, then confusion and disappointment, then wonder, then hope. It was quite an off-season, so let’s try to put it all in perspective, add it all up, and decide what this team is going to be in 2026.
Just a few days after the season ended came the shocking news that the Rangers and Bruce Bochy had decided to part ways. The official word remains that the parting was mutual, yet we all remember Boch saying multiple times late in the season that he would like to continue managing. Perhaps he changed his mind; maybe the direction that the team was headed helped him change it. Either way, a four-time World Series-winning manager was out.
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Feelings of confusion and discontent followed, but they were quickly replaced by excitement when the team introduced its new manager, Skip Schumaker. Skip was the manager that every team wanted, but since the Rangers had employed him as a special assistant last year, they got him.
Skip said all the right things at the introductory press conference, including when he told Jeff Wilson and me on the DLLS Rangers podcast that he was planning to keep most of the coaching staff, especially pitching coach Mike Maddux, whom Skip called “one of the best pitching coaches in the history of the game.” A few weeks later, Mike left to do the same job for division rival LA Angels. Confusing turn of events? You bet.
On November 21, disappointment set in as the Rangers sent three World Series heroes on their way. Texas did not tender contracts to Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim, or Josh Sborz. That meant all three were free to find a job with another team. Adolis, who had been heroic in the ALCS against Houston, Jonah, who caught every game of the 2023 postseason, and Josh, who threw the most significant strike in Rangers history, were all gone.
Three days later, another World Series hero was gone as Marcus Semien was traded to the New York Mets for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Like Garcia and Heim, Marcus had struggled offensively for two seasons. In other words, both seasons since the World Series. The Rangers decided that they could add offensive production by subtracting some of the guys who had failed to produce for two straight seasons. Then, as now, we wonder if this is going to work.
With only one catcher on the major league roster, we also wondered if Kyle Higashioka could catch all 162 next season. Actually, we knew that he couldn’t, and the Rangers signed a two-year $14.5 million contract with Danny Jansen to split duties with Higgy. They also added several potential bullpen pieces to replace all the guys they signed to one-year contracts a year ago at this time.
Then we waited. The Rangers had said they would be opportunistic, and they were still looking for pitching. In late January, the club signed Jakob Junis to a free agent contract, and it felt like progress. But the biggest dose of hope arrived on January 22nd. On that day, the team executed a trade with the Washington Nationals. From the Nats, the Rangers got another ace, or at least a potential ace. McKenzie Gore is a young left-hander with a huge upside. He was the third overall pick in 2017, joining Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker as pitchers in the organization selected with the top three picks. More importantly, Gore joins Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, who can and will offer their experience and knowledge to help this young stud pitcher become the ace he can be.
A rotation like that vaults the Rangers right back into the role of contender. Chris Young said after the acquisition of Gore, “Our expectation is that this team will compete for a championship.” To do that, the offense must take significant steps forward, and the defense must remain as great as it has been. If those things happen, with this pitching staff, October should be fun again.
Sports columnist John Rhadigan is the host of
The Rangers Podcast on DLLS Sports.
