The Texas Rangers are setting a clear path for the 2025-26 MLB offseason, as president of baseball operations Chris Young’s offseason plan takes center stage. With the Winter Meetings set to begin Sunday, Young outlined the Rangers’ offseason strategy, emphasizing upgrades in three critical areas — catcher, bullpen, and starting rotation. Each priority reflects lessons learned from the 81–81 finish that derailed the club’s playoff hopes last season.
DLLS Sports’ Jeff Wilson posted on his X account (formerly known as Twitter), offering a clear look at Young’s focus points for the upcoming campaign.
“Chris Young says that the #Rangers’ priorities are catcher, bullpen and starting rotation.”
The declaration sets a firm direction for the Rangers catcher search, which now begins in full following Jonah Heim’s departure. The current depth chart lists Kyle Higashioka in a backup role, highlighting the need for a true everyday option. Offensively and defensively, the new backstop must help steady a rotation that struggled to maintain rhythm through September.
Equally important is the Rangers bullpen rebuild. With relievers like Shawn Armstrong and Phil Maton entering free agency, Young’s front office faces a near-total reconstruction of its late-inning corps. Stability in high-leverage situations was a clear weakness during the team’s eight-game collapse to end the 2025 season.
The third pillar of Young’s vision involves the Rangers starting rotation, a top-heavy group anchored by Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. With depth arms Tyler Mahle and Merrill Kelly leaving in free agency, Texas must add innings eaters to avoid repeating the injury-driven inconsistency that plagued last year’s stretch run.
By identifying these needs early, Young is signaling intent — a methodical approach centered on depth, durability, and correcting the structural issues that surfaced throughout 2025. Rather than chase splashy signings that provide short-term buzz without solving long-term gaps, he is prioritizing dependable pieces that can withstand the grind of a full season. For the Rangers, that’s the better option, a strategy aimed at building sustained contention instead of relying on brief surges of success that fade when injuries or roster fatigue hits.