The Texas Rangers head into the offseason after a disappointing season which saw them miss the playoffs for the second straight year since their first-ever World Series title back in 2023.
While injuries did not help in the pitching staff; the shortcomings were ultimately due in no small part to the fact that the offense underachieved in a similar fashion to how it did in 2024. Failed acquisitions from a year ago were a huge part of why, but one position in particular sticks out.
When the Rangers signed Joc Pederson, they thought they had found their designated hitter, and instead he was a disaster. While naming a free agency best fit for each team though, baseball insider Mark Feinsand of MLB.com pegged Texas as the best case for Atlanta Braves All-Star Marcell Ozuna.
Rangers Named Best Fit for Braves Star Marcell Ozuna
Apr 21, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (20) reacts after hitting a three run home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Truist Park. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
“The Joc Pederson experiment did not go well for the Rangers, who ranked last in the AL with a .607 OPS out of the DH spot last season,” Feinsand wrote “Ozuna had a down year in Atlanta, hitting 21 home runs with 68 RBIs and a .756 OPS in 145 games, though he averaged 39 homers, 102 RBIs and a .916 OPS from 2023-24. The 35-year-old may not get back to those levels, but even last year’s production would be an upgrade for Texas.”
Ozuna’s decline in 2025 could be seen as an accurate representation of the player he is now at 35; however, he was so tremendous the two years prior that Texas may be willing to overlook it.
Collecting a 7.8 bWAR in that period, Ozuna was among the best hitters in baseball. As Feinsand mentioned though, even what he was this past season would be a huge boost from what Pederson brought. Would there be room for both however?
How Would Rangers Handle Both Ozuna and Pederson?
Sep 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson (4) strikes out during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The unfortunate reality of the Pederson contract is that it contained a player option which pays him another $18.5 million in 2026. Texas is faced with a couple of options should they be determined to make an upgrade.
They can either simply just eat the cash and get rid of the former slugger in favor of someone like Ozuna, or they can take him out of the DH role and use him potentially as a fourth outfielder while getting someone with a more impactful bat in the lineup.
Given that both players are more likely to DH at this stage of their career, it’s a complicated issue, however, 2025 showed firsthand that the Rangers cannot afford an offense with an everyday DH of Pederson’s quality.
Signing Ozuna to a short-term deal to at least provide some sort of insurance in the likely event Pederson does not suddenly bounce back is the exact type of move Texas should be looking into.
Keep an eye on the Rangers here in the bidding for Ozuna as well as other similar veteran DH options over the coming weeks.
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