There have already been some big offseason changes for the Texas Rangers this offseason. Bruce Bochy and the organization agreed to mutually part ways following the 2025 season. Replacing him is Skip Schumaker, who moves down to the dugout from the front office.
Just two years removed from winning the World Series, Texas has taken a step backward over the last couple of seasons.
President of baseball operations Chris Young has some big decisions to make this offseason when it comes to free agency. Just how he’ll spend remains to be seen, but the Rangers and Arlington are not the great free agency destination that some think, according to one MLB writer.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report ranked all 30 MLB free agent destinations before the craziness begins, and he ranked the Rangers in the bottom half of destinations.
Texas Ranked in Bottom Half of MLB Free Agent Destinations
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This may not come as much of a surprise that Texas is not as high a free agency destination as some think, coming in at No. 21, according to Rymer.
“Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young expects to have a payroll “high enough for us to win,” but the general vibe is to not expect anything like what they spent in 2025. If so, Young is going to be restricted to bargain-bin shopping unless he finds ways to move salaries off the team’s books,” Rymer wrote.
“The Rangers were World Series champions just two years ago, but then came diminished returns in 2024 and 2025 and now a new direction under Skip Schumaker. Stars such as Corey Seager and Jacob deGrom and youngsters like Wyatt Langford will give Texas a shot in 2026, but the club’s depth is going to be a concern,” added Rymer.
Being in the American League West is something that Texas can compete in year in and year out. The Los Angeles Angels and Athletics are still bringing up the rear, while the Houston Astros are about to undergo some changes this winter. Fresh off a trip to the American League Championship Series, the Seattle Mariners were the best team in the division in 2025, but is it sustainable for them long-term?
After splitting their 162 games in 2025, the Rangers ‘ payroll was $224 million, but according to Rymer, it’s expected to dip to $198 million for next season. Young has some areas to add to his roster this offseason, mainly with a struggling offense, but it appears he’ll have to do it with less money than the front office had a year ago.
Texas might not be an attractive free agent destination for a lot of players, but just two years removed from winning the World Series and with a division that is going through some changes, they are not too far off from winning again. It may not seem like a great free agent destination, but there are far worse situations around the league that a free agent could go to.
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