Texas Rangers 2024-2025 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

All of that roster fodder I posted about earlier remains with the team. The front office sure likes those guys.

On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to get our front office to think very highly of those prospects we have that are not extremely highly touted. It often doesn't matter how well they perform, if they aren't extremely highly touted they are worth very little to the front office.

 

[saddles]

Out of this bunch Acker is the most likely IMO

I actually think Crim is more likely, but Acker will be gone, too.

 

[saddles]

Even if we do not lose a single player in Rule 5, it is foolish to take that chance with players who are better than what you are keeping.

 

[saddles]

Okay, it is time to gear up for the Winter Meetings. That will be here in less than 3 weeks.

 

[Kelleyman]

We still have an open spot to pick and maybe we drop someone if we get someone in a trade

 

[Duane1952]

Okay, it is time to gear up for the Winter Meetings. That will be here in less than 3 weeks.

They haven’t done much at winter meetings lately. A lot of rumors and they do nothing.

 

[saddles]

From Scott Lucas:

Detroit selected RHPs Chase Lee and Tyler Owens, both acquired from the Rangers last summer as part of trades for reliever Andrew Chafin and catcher Carson Kelly, respectively. I certainly wouldn't have predicted Lee's addition based on how he performed in Texas, but he did improved his strikeout and walk rates in AAA Toledo. Texas had acquired Owens for OF JP Martinez last winter. He's pitched well in AA Frisco but I honestly hadn't watched him carefully enough to develop much of an opinion. Catcher Liam Hicks and RHP Joseph Montalvo, two others Texas shipped in those trades, were not selected. Detroit also designated for assignment former Rangers RHP Ricky Vanasco.

 

[scotsman#1948]

I believe we could easily lose the following in Rule-5.

Acker
Crim
Magdaleno
Garcia

we could also lose Stephan.

the lack of moving or DFA'ing players who have no future like Anderson, Festa, Garabito, Robert, Ornelas & Fabian just makes no sense and just makes my feeling that the Rangers FO has already written off the 2025 season. hope i'm wrong

 

[saddles]

we could also lose Stephan.

the lack of moving or DFA'ing players who have no future like Anderson, Festa, Garabito, Robert, Ornelas & Fabian just makes no sense and just makes my feeling that the Rangers FO has already written off the 2025 season. hope i'm wrong

Yes, Stephan is definitely on that list.

It is hard to tell what they were thinking. I think they are gambling that none of those guys will be taken and are simply wanting to wait to see what those guys show next year before deciding.

We have been assuming the Rangers will trade away some guys, but maybe they aren't planning to do that at all and will use DFAing guys like Anderson, Garabito and the others to make room for free agents.

I am willing to hold off judging the offseason plans until January, but it doesn't look good early on, not good at all.

 

[saddles]

The Rangers will sign some free agents, but all of those signings will not result in a roster spot needing to open up. For instance, they will sign a backup catcher, but a corresponding move will be to trade Huff as he will not longer have a place in the organization. Those moves will offset each other and will not cause a net roster spot to be added.

The same will be the case with an outfielder being signed and Taveras being dealt. To afford a starting pitcher they will most likely trade Gray to free up money. One relief pitcher can be signed and offset by non-tendering Dunning, if some in the media are right about him being non-tendered.

Other than those moves, they may sign a couple of other bullpen pieces resulting in 2 guys being DFAed. So they easily had room for 3 or 4 more guys to be added yesterday. And that still leaves one roster spot open, as there is presently. They could use that extra roster spot between corresponding moves so that they wouldn't have to make the corresponding move before announcing the addition.

 

[saddles]

Baseball America has a Rule 5 draft preview this morning. They list 12 players in the article. The first one is Crim and the last one is Magdaleno.

 

[saddles]

Baseball America has a Rule 5 draft preview this morning. They list 12 players in the article. The first one is Crim and the last one is Magdaleno.

Blaine Crim, 1B, Rangers
Crim was a prominent member of last year’s Rule 5 preview. He went back to Triple-A Round Rock for a second straight season and posted a very similar line, hitting .277/.370/.469 with 33 doubles and 20 home runs. The righthanded hitter hits lefties and righties and draws plenty of walks. A first base/DH profile is a tough one for a Rule 5 pick, but it’s also one that has seen some success over the years. At 27 years old, Crim is a low-risk, low-cost pick to bring to spring training for a rebuilding team with a need at DH who can also play some first base. The hope is he can do what Ryan Noda did for the A’s a couple years ago: provided solid production at first base/DH for league-minimum salary.

Bryan Magdaleno, LHP, Rangers
Magdaleno is a low-slot lefthander with good power across his pitch mix and three quality pitch shapes. He has very limited experience above Low-A, but did reach Double-A to end the season. His fastball sits 94-96 mph from a low release height and he mixes in a sweeper slider and a sinker. He allowed just six earned runs over 40.2 innings in 2024. Magdaleno generates groundballs, misses bats and has a good blend of stuff and deception. Some team might see him as a low-risk, high-upside bullpen addition.

 

[saddles]

There is a report out that Sandro Fabian is signing to play in Japan. That would put the roster at 38.

 

[saddles]

Mark Feinsand has an article out today where he breaks down 126 free agents into 5 tiers. I would be happy with 2 relievers from the third tier and 2(Yates and Robertson) from the fourth tier.

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-free-agents-2024-2025-ranked-by-tiers

 

[Duane1952]

The Rangers will sign some free agents, but all of those signings will not result in a roster spot needing to open up. For instance, they will sign a backup catcher, but a corresponding move will be to trade Huff as he will not longer have a place in the organization. Those moves will offset each other and will not cause a net roster spot to be added.

The same will be the case with an outfielder being signed and Taveras being dealt. To afford a starting pitcher they will most likely trade Gray to free up money. One relief pitcher can be signed and offset by non-tendering Dunning, if some in the media are right about him being non-tendered.

Other than those moves, they may sign a couple of other bullpen pieces resulting in 2 guys being DFAed. So they easily had room for 3 or 4 more guys to be added yesterday. And that still leaves one roster spot open, as there is presently. They could use that extra roster spot between corresponding moves so that they wouldn't have to make the corresponding move before announcing the addition.

I just don’t understand them keeping White and Anderson on the 40 man. That is just as bad as keeping Spencer Howard on the 40 man. I wouldn’t mind them trading Adolis. If they go into this season with the same position players they will be just as bad as last season. I still don’t trust CY as a GM yet. He caught lightning in a bottle in 23. Doing nothing in the off season and at the trade deadline to help the offense was stupid.

 

[saddles]

From the MLBTRADERUMORS.COM mailbag column:


Joel asks:
Who would be the best trade partners with Texas for Jon Gray, Tyler Mahle, Leody Taveras, and to a lesser degree Adolis Garcia and Nathaniel Lowe?

• Gray: A team seeking a mid-rotation starter at market value, that doesn’t want to give much up in terms of prospects. The Mets, White Sox, Red Sox, Athletics, Orioles, Angels, Giants, Guardians, Braves, and Phillies could work.
• Mahle: Mahle is owed $16.5MM this year and has limited no-trade protection. Paying that would be a pretty big gamble to see if he can find his 2021-22 form. The contract seems pretty far underwater, so the best suitor would be a team that has payroll flexibility to essentially buy a prospect from the Rangers in exchange for taking on the money. A rotation opening and lesser desire to win in 2025 wouldn’t hurt. Bonus points if free agents want nothing to do with you. So maybe the White Sox, Marlins, or A’s could make sense.
• Taveras: A team looking for a defensive-minded center fielder/fourth outfielder at a $4MM salary. Maybe the A’s, Royals, Angels, or Reds.
• Garcia: A team willing to risk $9.25MM in 2025 (plus the ability to keep Garcia for ’26) in hopes of an age-32 bounceback season. Someone seeking right-handed power that either has some DH time open or doesn’t care too much about defense. The Dodgers, Yankees if they miss on Juan Soto, A’s, Orioles, Padres, Reds, Angels, Giants, Royals, Blue Jays, Braves, and Phillies could work. Garcia could be a Plan B for a team that failed to sign Teoscar Hernandez or Anthony Santander.
• Lowe: A team that is kind of into first base defense and doesn’t mind trading power at the position for OBP. The Tigers, Astros, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Reds, Mets, Pirates, and Nationals could fit. Lowe could be a Plan B for a team that failed to sign Pete Alonso or Christian Walker.

 

[saddles]

Ex-Ranger, Patrick Wisdom, has been DFA.

 

[saddles]

From MLBTRADERUMORS.COM

Sandro Fabian Reportedly Agrees To Three-Year Deal With NPB's Hiroshima Toyo Carp mlbtraderumors.com/2024/11/sandro…

 

[saddles]

From Evan Drellich:

Rob Manfred says Roki Sasaki is expected to be part of the 2025 international signing class: "It looks like ... the signing there will happen in the new pool period"

So, he won't be able to sign until January 15.

 

[saddles]

Ex-Rangers finished 3rd and 4th in AL Cy Young voting. We can produce great pitching; we just can't recognize it when we do.