The Rangers constructed a functional bullpen last season when they prioritized cost-effective strike-throwers and zone control over high-velocity arms and pure stuff in free agency. Here\u2019s a simple formula to explain the process: the Texas bullpen\u2019s average fastball velocity (93.7 mph) was the third-slowest in baseball, but its 3.62 ERA, 8.5% walk rate and 54.1% strike zone percentage each ranked top five in the American League. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to get back to dominating the strike zone and getting ahead,\u201d Rangers general manager Ross Fenstermaker said Tuesday night. \u201cI think it\u2019s going to be much of the same going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rangers<\/p>\n
By signing up, you agree to our\u00a0Terms of Service<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s significantly easier said than done at a position most-often described as volatile. Fenstermaker said that the Rangers are open to \u201cvarious archetypes\u201d of arms because of the number of roles (specifically high-leverage ones) that they must fill and are not inherently in search of \u201cbargain\u201d options. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re looking for the right focus fits for the Texas Rangers,\u201d Fenstermaker said after what he described as a productive day at the Signia Hilton. \u201cGuys that we feel maybe have more to offer than maybe what they provided in this past year or years prior.\u201d<\/p>\n The club\u2019s ultimate philosophy, though, is pitchers who attack the strike zone. It was evident in last winter\u2019s acquisitions and in Fenstermaker\u2019s own admissions Tuesday night. It is conceivably possible to build a relief staff through those priorities at the price point that the Rangers may need to operate if they plan to trim their payroll from last season. <\/p>\n Related<\/p>\n Correction: It is possible. The Rangers spent under $13 million on six free agent relief pitchers last winter and, per FanGraphs, were rewarded with nearly $30 million of on-field value from their bullpen. Taylor Rogers, a 34-year-old right-hander, threw 57% of his pitches in the strike zone last season and owns a career 7.3% walk rate. Tyler Alexander, a 31-year-old left-hander who attended Southlake Carroll, threw 54% of his pitches in the zone and posted a minuscule 6.2% walk rate last season. Both are free agents and have a combined market value, per Spotrac, of less than $6 million. <\/p>\n Rogers has 83 career saves but hasn\u2019t operated as a full-time closer in three seasons. It\u2019d still qualify him as the most-experienced high-leverage arm on the Texas roster. The Rangers haven\u2019t signed a certified in-their-prime closer in president of baseball operations Chris Young\u2019s tenure and, in two of the last three seasons, have largely worked the ninth inning by committee. Fenstermaker believes that there are candidates in the minor league system that could \u201cgrow into high-leverage roles\u201d eventually and others on the major league roster (such as left-hander Robert Garcia) who have high-leverage experience and could compete for late-game opportunities. <\/p>\n Young said he doesn\u2019t have \u201chard and fast rules\u201d about big-money relief pitcher deals and acknowledged that it\u2019s a player-to-player case. The opportunities to sign a high-dollar closer-type have started to dry with or without the Rangers\u2019 involvement. <\/p>\n The three premier free agents at the position \u2014 right-handers Edwin Diaz (Los Angeles Dodgers), Devin Williams (New York Mets) and Ryan Helsley (Baltimore Orioles) \u2014 have already signed for nearly $150 million worth of contracts between the three of them. The next tier, one that includes right-handers Robert Suarez (a 34-year-old who\u2019s been an All-Star in consecutive seasons for the San Diego Padres) and Pete Fairbanks (a former Ranger whom the club inquired about before the trade deadline<\/a>), may not sit for long after the market\u2019s ramp-up Tuesday afternoon. <\/p>\n The availability, coupled with their own financial restrictions, leaves the Rangers in a situation not dissimilar to the one that they were in last winter when they rebuilt their bullpen for the first time. <\/p>\n They\u2019ve at least got a philosophy they\u2019ve seen work once. <\/p>\n Jacob Latz represents key piece in Texas Rangers\u2019 offseason financial puzzle<\/a>Texas Rangers land No. 16 pick in the 2026 MLB draft, falling five spots in draft lottery<\/a><\/p>\n Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1765337898_748_BNTU44DQ4JGMPPWZQ7Q2YKKF44.jpg\")
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