Texas Rangers 2025 Spring Training Thread

[saddles]

Bregman to the Red Sox

$120M, 3 years. 2 optouts

He didn't get the longterm deal he was holding out for.

 

[Duane1952]

Bregman to the Red Sox

$120M, 3 years. 2 optouts

He didn't get the longterm deal he was holding out for.

Wonder what position they play him at. They have Devers at 3rd and said they weren’t going to have him move to another position.

 

[saddles]

Wonder what position they play him at. They have Devers at 3rd and said they weren’t going to have him move to another position.

Jeff Passan says he will probably play 2B.

 

[saddles]

With Bregman signing last night, I got to thinking about the 2014 season and the 2015 draft again. As you recall, we only missed out on having the tip pick in that draft by 4 games. When Ron Washington stepped away we were 6 games worse than the Diamondbacks, who wound up with the top draft pick that season. The Rangers went 14-8 under Tim Bogar to finish up September.

The Diamondbacks got the top pick and we drafted 4th. We had the third worst record, but Houston was gifted the second pick because they were unable to sign their previous draft pick from the 2014 draft, so we drafted 4th.

If we had finished September under Washington and had continued to play as we had for over 5 months of the season, we could have had that first pick and had a chance at Bregman. Of course, the Diamondbacks chose Dansby Swanson with that first pick, but let's say we would have picked Bregman. I imagine we would not have signed both Seager and Semien if we had had Bregman. I wonder which one we would have signed. Maybe we would have still signed both, or maybe we would have signed one of them and an additional free agent hitter at another position.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

With Bregman signing last night, I got to thinking about the 2014 season and the 2015 draft again. As you recall, we only missed out on having the tip pick in that draft by 4 games. When Ron Washington stepped away we were 6 games worse than the Diamondbacks, who wound up with the top draft pick that season. The Rangers went 14-8 under Tim Bogar to finish up September.

The Diamondbacks got the top pick and we drafted 4th. We had the third worst record, but Houston was gifted the second pick because they were unable to sign their previous draft pick from the 2014 draft, so we drafted 4th.

If we had finished September under Washington and had continued to play as we had for over 5 months of the season, we could have had that first pick and had a chance at Bregman. Of course, the Diamondbacks chose Dansby Swanson with that first pick, but let's say we would have picked Bregman. I imagine we would not have signed both Seager and Semien if we had had Bregman. I wonder which one we would have signed. Maybe we would have still signed both, or maybe we would have signed one of them and an additional free agent hitter at another position.

I never understood why Houston was given that draft pick that year just because they were unable to sign their top draft pick the previous year. I say that is just too bad. You rolled the dice and you lost.

 

[saddles]

Which of the following scenarios could have the biggest impact on this year's team if they unfold during spring training?

1) March Church proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is ready

2) Dane Dunning returns to his 2023 form

3) Evan Carter shows he is completely healthy

4) Jack Leiter shows he has not only retained his form from the end of last year, but pitches even better

5) Emiliano Teodo looks great as a starter

The good thing is, every one of those things could happen. If we can get two of #2, #4 and #5 to happen it gives the team a lot more confidence in its starting pitching depth and might allow them to trade either Mahle or Gray.

 

[Kelleyman]

Which of the following scenarios could have the biggest impact on this year's team if they unfold during spring training?

1) March Church proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is ready

2) Dane Dunning returns to his 2023 form

3) Evan Carter shows he is completely healthy

4) Jack Leiter shows he has not only retained his form from the end of last year, but pitches even better

5) Emiliano Teodo looks great as a starter

The good thing is, every one of those things could happen. If we can get two of #2, #4 and #5 to happen it gives the team a lot more confidence in its starting pitching depth and might allow them to trade either Mahle or Gray.

3. Carter

 

[saddles]

Gallo signs with the White Sox on a minor league deal.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Which of the following scenarios could have the biggest impact on this year's team if they unfold during spring training?

1) March Church proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is ready

2) Dane Dunning returns to his 2023 form

3) Evan Carter shows he is completely healthy

4) Jack Leiter shows he has not only retained his form from the end of last year, but pitches even better

5) Emiliano Teodo looks great as a starter

The good thing is, every one of those things could happen. If we can get two of #2, #4 and #5 to happen it gives the team a lot more confidence in its starting pitching depth and might allow them to trade either Mahle or Gray.

Carter assuming the team doesn't get hit with an injury bug like last year.
If there are significant injuries in the pitching rotation, I'd say Dunning regaining his 2023 form, because he really was an anchor for that rotation. Reliable and consistent.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Which of the following scenarios could have the biggest impact on this year's team if they unfold during spring training?

1) March Church proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is ready

2) Dane Dunning returns to his 2023 form

3) Evan Carter shows he is completely healthy

4) Jack Leiter shows he has not only retained his form from the end of last year, but pitches even better

5) Emiliano Teodo looks great as a starter

The good thing is, every one of those things could happen. If we can get two of #2, #4 and #5 to happen it gives the team a lot more confidence in its starting pitching depth and might allow them to trade either Mahle or Gray.

It's close between Carter and Dunning but I will have to go with Dunning. If he can pitch like he did in 2023 then we have a lot of pitching options to choose from. We will need that depth because there will be some DL visits. It's just the nature of the beast.

 

[saddles]

Which of the following scenarios could have the biggest impact on this year's team if they unfold during spring training?

1) March Church proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is ready

2) Dane Dunning returns to his 2023 form

3) Evan Carter shows he is completely healthy

4) Jack Leiter shows he has not only retained his form from the end of last year, but pitches even better

5) Emiliano Teodo looks great as a starter

The good thing is, every one of those things could happen. If we can get two of #2, #4 and #5 to happen it gives the team a lot more confidence in its starting pitching depth and might allow them to trade either Mahle or Gray.

I probably should have added Dustin Harris performing well in ST, to this list. That could help them to me more likely to trade Taveras.

 

[saddles]

Happy Bobby Valentine's Day.

 

[saddles]

Robert Garcia threw off of flat ground today. That's good news.

 

[saddles]

Happy for Cole Ragans. Glad to see his hard work and his willingness to further his career by working with Tread Athletics a couple of years ago, is paying off for him.

From Jeff Passan:

Left-hander Cole Ragans and the Kansas City Royals are in agreement on a three-year, $13.25 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN. The deal covers this year and his first two arbitration seasons, giving KC cost certainty and Ragans a near-top-of-the-market arb salary.

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant:

With all due respect to the long, lean Cy Young Award winner in the room, the biggest mystery to the Rangers starting rotation in 2025 may be Tyler Mahle, not Jacob deGrom.

A healthy deGrom makes the rotation formidable, regardless of who is around him.

A healthy Mahle opens up an even wider world of opportunities for the Rangers’ entire pitching staff.

The Rangers could anchor Mahle in the middle of the rotation behind Nathan Eovaldi and deGrom, allowing them to shift an extra starter to the bullpen to further bolster a revamped lineup. Cody Bradford could end up as a left-handed swing man, a valuable, if not high-profile role. Perhaps more tantalizingly: Jon Gray could slide to closer. Everybody the Rangers added this offseason from Chris Martin on down could drop down into more familiar roles.

Or Mahle could help via another route: As a potential valuable late-spring trade chip that could allow the Rangers to add a controllable back-end-of-the bullpen arm, while giving the club more payroll flexibility under the Competitive Balance Tax threshold of $241 million. That flexibility could be further used at the trade deadline to reinforce the bullpen further.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

From Evan Grant:

With all due respect to the long, lean Cy Young Award winner in the room, the biggest mystery to the Rangers starting rotation in 2025 may be Tyler Mahle, not Jacob deGrom.

A healthy deGrom makes the rotation formidable, regardless of who is around him.

A healthy Mahle opens up an even wider world of opportunities for the Rangers’ entire pitching staff.

The Rangers could anchor Mahle in the middle of the rotation behind Nathan Eovaldi and deGrom, allowing them to shift an extra starter to the bullpen to further bolster a revamped lineup. Cody Bradford could end up as a left-handed swing man, a valuable, if not high-profile role. Perhaps more tantalizingly: Jon Gray could slide to closer. Everybody the Rangers added this offseason from Chris Martin on down could drop down into more familiar roles.

Or Mahle could help via another route: As a potential valuable late-spring trade chip that could allow the Rangers to add a controllable back-end-of-the bullpen arm, while giving the club more payroll flexibility under the Competitive Balance Tax threshold of $241 million. That flexibility could be further used at the trade deadline to reinforce the bullpen further.

If things actually went well for a change with healthy pitchers we would really have some depth. I will definitely be watching to see how deGrom does because a healthy deGrom and Eovaldi would be a serious 1-2 punch.

 

[saddles]

From Jeff Wilson:

A few nuggets from #Rangers camp this morning: Jon Gray has NOT been approached about closing, Robert Garcia said his nerve issue is all but gone, and Jake Burger has arrived for his first spring with the club.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Even though it looks like Gray will be in the starting rotation according to an article in the DMN from Evan Grant he did have this to say why Gray be a closer has some merit:
You should know, though, that the concept of Gray as a leverage reliever isn’t without merit. That’s how the Rangers used him in the 2023 postseason. It’s hard to create more “leverage” than pitching in the World Series. Gray had three relief outings in the 2023 postseason run and made four more last year. The sample size may be incredibly small, but the results were intriguing. His fastball averaged 96.3 mph as a reliever the last two years, a full mile per hour better than as a starter when pacing is important. He had a 45.7% strikeout rate on his slider. As a reliever, he’s allowed eight hits — seven singles and a double — in 46 at-bats.

Put it this way: None of the experienced relief options in camp averaged 96 mph with their fastball the last two years. And none of them had a higher overall strikeout percentage.

 

[scotsman#1948]

Even though it looks like Gray will be in the starting rotation according to an article in the DMN from Evan Grant he did have this to say why Gray be a closer has some merit:
You should know, though, that the concept of Gray as a leverage reliever isn’t without merit. That’s how the Rangers used him in the 2023 postseason. It’s hard to create more “leverage” than pitching in the World Series. Gray had three relief outings in the 2023 postseason run and made four more last year. The sample size may be incredibly small, but the results were intriguing. His fastball averaged 96.3 mph as a reliever the last two years, a full mile per hour better than as a starter when pacing is important. He had a 45.7% strikeout rate on his slider. As a reliever, he’s allowed eight hits — seven singles and a double — in 46 at-bats.

Put it this way: None of the experienced relief options in camp averaged 96 mph with their fastball the last two years. And none of them had a higher overall strikeout percentage.

Gray has some merit but i just don't think he has that closer mentality that is needed to come in for those 2, 3 or 4 out needs. too bad that Church or Haler aren't ready because they both could fill that spot

 

[Uncle Siggy]

Rangers reunite with former reliever on minor league deal

The Texas Rangers decided they weren't quite done fiddling with their roster, even as spring begins, adding another former reliever to their list of spring trai

nolanwritin.com