The Texas Rangers will proceed into the winter with more questions than answers about their roster after a second consecutive season in which they missed the playoffs.
They’ll now need to best determine how they can improve their roster (specifically an offense which regressed significantly for a second straight year) through the avenues of free agency and trades.
That brings us to the money.
The tax threshold for next season is set at $244 million, though, because president of baseball operations Chris Young has already acknowledged that the team’s payroll is likely to drop this winter, that shouldn’t be a hurdle that will factor into the club’s plans.
Rangers
The Rangers have north of $130 million in salaries guaranteed to players next season. That doesn’t include arbitration eligible players, contract renewals and any bonuses that might be paid out. Here’s what the contract situation of each player on the roster looks like as the offseason nears. Figures are courtesy of FanGraphs.
Expiring free agents
The Ranger will shed north of $50 million off of their books with a third of their major league roster set to hit to hit the open market.
The club has nine players that will enter unrestricted free agency and one that has an option. Designated hitter Joc Pederson can opt into a player option worth $18.5 million for next season or decline it and enter into free agency.
PlayerAge2024 salaryMarket value (according to Spotrac)DH Joc Pederson33$18.5 million$5.3 millionRHP Jon Gray33$13 million$5.3 millionRHP Tyler Mahle30$16.5 million$5.3 millionRHP Merrill Kelly37$7 million$15.7 millionRHP Chris Martin39$5.5 million$6.7 millionLHP Danny Coulombe35$3 million$4.3 millionLHP Hoby Milner34$2.5 million$4 millionRHP Phil Maton32$2 million$7.1 millionRHP Shawn Armstrong35$1.25 million$3.9 millionLHP Patrick Corbin36$1.1 million$5.4 millionArbitration eligible players
Here’s how arbitration works: The player and team exchange figures and either come to a salary agreement before a mid-January deadline or move to a hearing in which an arbiter will choose one side’s figure to determine the following season’s salary. Clubs can non-tender a player and immediately make them a free agent. Teams must tender (meaning agree to give a contract for the upcoming season) players on their 40-man roster with less than six years of service time before Nov. 21.
The Rangers have five players eligible for arbitration. Each are in their final year of eligibility before they qualify for free agency. They’ve not gone to an arbitration hearing in 25 years. They came to agreements with four of their six arbitration eligible players before last year’s deadline and traded the other two (first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and catcher Sam Huff).
Players who’ve accrued three or more years of service time are arbitration eligible.
Signed through 2026 (and beyond)
The Rangers have five post-arbitration players signed to major league contracts beyond this season that’ll combine to earn $131.25 million next year. They have just four players signed to contracts beyond 2026.
PlayerAge2026 salarySigned throughRHP Jacob deGrom37$38 million2027 (with $37 million mutual option for 2028)SS Corey Seager31$31.5 million20312B Marcus Semien35$26 million2028RHP Nathan Eovaldi36$29 million2027C Kyle Higashioka35$6.75 million2026The pre-arbitration group
This includes players not yet eligible for arbitration or unrestricted free agency. Or, in other words, any player on the Texas roster who isn’t listed above. Teams can choose whether or not to renew a player’s contract when they are pre-arbitration at salaries close to the league minimum. Players have limited leverage but cannot have their salaries reduced by more than 20% of what they made the season prior.
First baseman Jake Burger, third baseman Josh Jung and utility player Josh Smith will enter their final years with this status and become eligible for arbitration next offseason. Other players — including outfielder Wyatt Langford, right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter and left-handed pitcher Robert Garcia — each have at least two more seasons to play before they are eligible for arbitration.
Texas Rangers, Bruce Bochy to part ways after three seasons: ‘It’s been a hell of ride’As Bruce Bochy exits, Rangers have tall task of replacing best manager they’ve ever had
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Click or tap here to sign up for our Rangers newsletter.