Not even the worst division in MLB history was enough to get these Texas Rangers to the postseason. Sure, the Houston Astros took the matter out of their hands by taking care of business in Sacramento on the final day of the regular season to clinch the AL West, but the fact that it got to this point — the fact that a team with as many big names and big salaries as the 2026 Rangers needed help to squeak into the playoffs with a .500 record — speaks volumes about where this organization is right now.
And, potentially, where it's going. We know that Ray Davis wants to cut costs, and that figures to be an even more pressing mission now; it's hard to justify investing in a team that couldn't make it to October despite so much breaking their way. That means this could be an offseason of very big changes in Arlington, starting with the face of the franchise.
SS Corey Seager
Seager found himself the subject of some trade speculation both last winter and at this year's trade deadline, and that figures to only pick up now that Texas has slogged through another disappointing season in the wake of their 2023 title. The five-time All-Star has a whopping five years left on his contract and a full no-trade clause, so any deal would be an uphill battle. But he did close the year strong, and his track record at a premium position is such that some team might take the plunge of the Rangers are willing to eat some of the cost.
They just might be, too. It feels like one of this team's big contracts needs to get moved this offseason, and it doesn't seem like Jacob deGrom is willing to budge after he exercised his own no-trade clause this summer. Texas needs to get more flexible, and a Seager trade would be a big first step in that direction. Plus, top prospect Sebastian Walcott is coming for the left side of the infield soon.
OF Evan Carter
It feels like it's long past time to stop waiting on the ideal version of Carter to arrive. He's still non-competitive against lefties and still offers next to no power, and while his defense in center field is obviously an asset, his offensive liabilities make him a tricky roster fit. Rather than once again giving him everyday at-bats or putting him a platoon role, the Rangers could instead try to find a suitor who still believes in Carter's pedigree. Their window of opportunity to get anything of value in return is closing fast.
1B Jake Burger
Burger had a fine-enough season, by which I mean that he had a very Jake Burger season: a lot of whiffs, not a lot of walks and enough pop to at least make it a playable profile. The problem is that Texas has a ton of other corner bats in the organization, and Burger is set to enter his second year of arbitration. It feels like he's just about maxed out as a two-win player; is that good enough for the Rangers to let him clog up the roster? If they can't find a trade partner for him, he could well be a non-tender candidate this winter.
C Kyle Higashioka
The Danny Jansen-Elias Diaz platoon clicked into place with Higgy on the IL, and the arrival of Logan O'Hoppe just adds to the team's catching logjam. Jansen's salary means he almost certainly isn't going anywhere, which likely leaves Higashioka as the odd man out with a $6.75 million option for 2027. Texas will almost certainly decline their half of that option, which is simply too much to pay for a guy who is middling on both sides of the ball at this point in his career.
UTIL Nicky Lopez
Much as he's done at various stops throughout his winding MLB career, Lopez endeared himself to Texas fans upon his arrival in Arlington. But as has also happened at various stops throughout his winding MLB career, that honeymoon was shortlived, as Lopez simply isn't a good enough hitter to allow his defensive versatility to play. Justin Foscue's emergence, as well as Walcott's pending arrival and the presence of Ezequiel Duran, just don't leave a ton of room for him on the 2027 roster, and he'll be a free agent at season's end.
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