You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Rangers Outlook '23
powered byJotCast
Mark P
1:20
Hi folks, unfortunately the Rangers chat will be delayed due to some breaking news coverage on the site.  Keep submitting questions in the interim, and stay tuned for when the chat eventually gets rolling.
4:36
Hey there everyone, the chat is finally underway.  

My apologies for the delay.  I foolishly scheduled the chat for during my actual shift on MLBTR, even though I knew this would be a busy day for news.  Unfortunately too much stuff kept breaking and I couldn't squeeze in time to talk Rangers.....but now my man Nick Deeds is handling the site and I'm free to operate.

If Rangers fans can wait that long for a World Series, they can wait a bit longer for this chat, right?  Onto the questions!
JorMont
4:38
What's it going to take to resign me?
Mark P
4:38
Six years seems feasible, and in the ballpark of $150MM.
Pirate Maximus
4:38
I know they need to round out the rotation but isn't the bigger concern dh/corner of once garver leaves?  Seems like they need at least one everyday bat and potentially an upgrade over the backups in case Carter isn't for real
Mark P
4:40
In theory, a lot of player can cycle through the DH role, so that's not necessarily a huge problem.  But, I agree that getting another bat in place is a need, since there's no guarantee Carter will hit the ground running next year.

Langford might sort of be that bat, in a non-veteran capacity.  Same with Duran if he breaks out.  Re-signing Jankowski or Grossman isn't out of the question.  Or, the Rangers just go really big and sign Ohtani!

Someone like JD Martinez might also be an interesting fallback plan in lieu of Ohtani or Garver
Chris
4:40
How legit our Rangers chances for Ohtani?
Mark P
4:41
As good as anyone's, I think.  The geography question lingers, but if Ohtani isn't actually set on playing on the west coast, Texas has all the resources and the winning pedigree.
D.Hay
4:41
What are the possibilities that the Rangers trade Taveres in the off season?  This would allow them to move Carter to center and move Langford or Duran to left.  What could they receive?  Controllable back of the bullpen arms or a starter?
Mark P
4:42
Taveras might possibly be that "veteran fourth outfielder" type I was mentioning, if the starting outfield ends up as Carter/Langford/Garcia by season's end.  He's probably not a trade chip since he's at least a good defensive commodity, and some depth in case Carter regresses or Langford isn't ready.
Ebbets Field
4:43
Did Leclerc show enough near the end of the season to be the closer to start '24 if they don't grab a Hicks or Hader in FA?
Mark P
4:44
Considering he lost the job last year, I'd say Texas wouldn't be adverse to an upgrade, though obviously they trusted Leclerc enough to ride him during the playoffs.

Hicks might be preferable to Hader in this sense, since if you sign Hader, he's the closer no questions asked.  Which is obviously a good scenario, yet signing Hicks for less money might be more of a fit if Leclerc can do the job anyway
Fix the Pen!
4:44
Who do you think the Rangers can get to upgrade the closer role? I’m concerned about Hader’s rising walk rate and don’t think he’s worth breaking the bank and surrendering draft picks for? Is trading for David Bednar an option?
Mark P
4:46
Bednar is controlled for three more seasons and the Pirates would want a lot in return.  Trading a reliever (even a very good one) is probably more palatable than moving, say, Bryan Reynolds would've been, yet there's also a sense that Pittsburgh is getting ready to start competing.  

The Pirates wouldn't hang up the phone if the Rangers made a good offer, but a Bednar deal might be likelier in a season or two once the Bucs get a better sense of how far along they are on the path to really contending
CleGuy
4:46
Do the Rangers look to trade for Shane Bieber? What would it take from Texas to get him?
Mark P
4:49
Let's see, the Rangers trading for a Cleveland Cy Young winner....Clase and DeShields should do it!

Texas already has a number of "one year guys" in Scherzer, Heaney, and maybe Eovaldi, so they might save their trade assets for a pitcher controlled beyond 2024.  Bieber would be a help, no question, but I think I see him as more of a fit for either the Dodgers (as a bridge to their younger arms) or for a lower-payroll team like the Orioles or Reds, who want to add pitching but not on a long-term expenditure
So...
4:49
What can other teams learn from the rangers?
Mark P
4:51
Sometimes, you just need to spend some money.

Obviously the exact opposite lesson could be learned from the Mets, Padres, or a bunch of other teams, but the Rangers were wise in waiting to open the wallets once some of the younger guys (Lowe, Heim) were ready to contribute.
Young extensions?
4:51
Do you think the Rangers should try locking up Jung and/or Carter to extensions? If so, what would it take, especially for example since Jung is a Boras guy.
Mark P
4:52
Carter might well ask for Corbin Carroll's extension, that seems like a decent comp.  You're right that the Boras connection might make a Jung extension less likely, but Boras clients have signed their fair share of extensions over the years.
Luka_Degrom
4:53
How do you see the Rangers outfield playing out this season with Garcia, Taveras, Carter, and Langford all on the roster if one isn't traded?
Mark P
4:53
Taveras becomes a fourth outfielder, or someone gets rotated into the DH spot if it's open
Shane
4:54
Could Soto bat leadoff for the Rangers next year?
HBM
4:54
What would it take to land Soto and then extend him?
CHRIS YOUNG
4:54
I know there is talk of Ohtani as a Ranger what about Soto?
Mark P
4:55
If you're Texas, who do you move for one year of Soto?  Obviously Garcia and Carter aren't doing anywhere.  Langford is one of baseball's best prospects, he's probably next to untouchable.  You can possibly trade Taveras to make room, but that puts faith that Carter/Langford can handle center field.
Cory Seager
4:56
What would of happened if the Rangers wouldnt of won the World Series 😂
Mark P
4:57
It's weird, maybe not all that much in terms of offseason work?  I think Texas is still going to be aggressive even after winning a championship, and it's not like their needs would've greatly changed if Arizona had won three more games
Lt Data
4:58
Is Texas baseball at an all-time peak?  Astros won last year, Rangers this year, gonna have the core of both teams returning for next year…what could be better?
Mark P
4:59
The three peaks of Texas baseball...

1) right now
2) the release of "Everybody Wants Some!" in 2016
3) Nolan Ryan's fight with Robin Ventura
Guest
4:59
I’d be in favor of resigning jankowski.  Really came through for his role
Mark P
5:00
Jankowski seems the likelier of the two to re-sign between him and Grossman, even with OF playing time at a premium.  As I noted in the outlook, Grossman has a better case for a regular job with another team, whereas Texas might not be able to offer him that many at-bats.
5:01
Fun note from the outlook....apparently I repeatedly spelled "Jankowski" as "Janikowski," as in the former Raiders kicker.  Good thing people edit these before they're published!
Kelleyman
5:02
who plays 1B on Lowe off days or injury. He played alot and seemed to regress
Mark P
5:02
Duran is a logical candidate, if he morphs into super-utilityman
Trade
5:03
What would it take to get Glasnow to add to our rotation?
Mark P
5:04
Some of the same reasoning applies here as it did with the Bieber scenario proposed earlier.  It's possible Texas might have to give up less in prospects if it just eats Glasnow's $25MM entirely from the Rays' books, but Tampa knows what it has in Glasnow.  They aren't going to give him up on a pure salary dump, since they're trying to add pieces to their own contending roster.
Kelleyman
5:04
Who are the potential nontender candidates
Mark P
5:04
Brett Martin and Matt Bush are the most obvious calls.  Jonathan Hernandez is a maybe.
Jim
5:05
If Heaney opts out, does that open a spot for Dunning in the rotation?
Load More Messages
Connecting…