The Texas Rangers are coming off of a 102-loss season in 2021, and they’re firmly in the midst of a rebuild.
With the organization trying to get things moving in the right direction, every offseason is a pivotal one.
This winter, there are several areas that the Rangers need to address.
Really, it seems like nothing is off the table when it comes to where the team should allocate its money.
Here are a few players that would make sense for the Rangers to target this offseason.
3. Nick Castellanos
The Rangers could really use some upgrades in the outfield, and if they’re going to address the area in free agency, they might as well go big.
Nick Castellanos is one of the best outfielders available this offseason, and he’s coming off of a career year.
The 29-year-old batted .309 in 2021 with a .939 OPS and 136 OPS+.
He racked up 34 home runs, 38 doubles, a triple, and 100 runs batted in.
Nick Castellanos with a 3-run bomb in the bottom of the ☝️st!
His 16th homer on the season 🔥pic.twitter.com/vdN1DlREX8
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 1, 2021
The one-time All-Star seems to be entering the best years of his career, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rangers target him this winter.
That said, the market for Castellanos figures to be very intense, so if the Rangers really do want to add him, they’ll likely have to fend off some competition.
2. Noah Syndergaard
After Tommy John surgery, Noah Syndergaard needs to prove himself again, and he needs a place to do it.
It could be with the New York Mets, but nothing is set in stone.
Why not the Rangers?
The flamethrower has a very high ceiling, which we saw before his surgery.
Take his 2016 season, for example, in which he pitched to a 2.60 ERA and 2.29 FIP en route to MVP and Cy Young votes.
For his career, he has a 3.32 ERA and 2.93 FIP.
Clearly, he’s incredibly talented.
But will he be the same guy after his surgery?
The 2022 season will probably provide fans with an answer.
The Rangers aren’t ready to contend yet, but when they do get there (perhaps in 2023), their starting rotation is going to have to look a lot different than it does today.
Syndergaard could end up being an invaluable addition.
1. Corey Seager
This free-agent class is loaded with superstar shortstops, and the Rangers are expected to be involved.
Corey Seager isn’t the only viable shortstop target for Texas, but it certainly seems like he’s the one being connected most frequently to the Rangers.
At 27 years old, he could be a star for this organization for many years.
The former first-round pick is coming off of a 2021 season in which he batted .306 with a .915 OPS and 145 OPS+.
The fourth home run of the inning for the Dodgers is a go-ahead bomb by Corey Seager! pic.twitter.com/Ixo6vReKuy
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 30, 2021
He has a career slash line of .297/.367/.504.
Moreover, he’s a really solid playoff performer, as he has both NLCS MVP and World Series MVP honors to his credit.
The two-time All-Star would immediately become one of the faces of this organization if he were to sign with the Rangers, and he’d likely help expedite the rebuild.
Time will tell if it ends up happening.
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