The Winter Meetings will begin on Monday next week.
Though activity in the trade and free agent markets has been slow thus far, we can expect to see a flurry of moves made once the meetings get underway in San Diego.
A team that figures to be active this offseason and make some key moves is the Texas Rangers.
After a 68-94 finish, the Rangers began to address their starting pitching needs, acquiring veteran right-hander Jake Odorizzi from the 101-win Atlanta Braves in exchange for left-hander Kolby Allard.
Like other teams, the Rangers have been mostly quiet so far, but one analyst predicted that activity will ratchet up at the meetings, citing the Rangers typically don’t put their interest in specific players, but rather cast a wider net when searching for stars.
For those who think the Rangers are sleeping:
1) They're not, they don't put their interest in specific players out there.
2) The Winter Meetings start on Sunday but in earnest on Monday.
— The Prospect Times (@ProspectTimes) November 30, 2022
Rangers Weighing Free Agent Options
Starting pitching is obviously the biggest need for the Rangers.
The two-time American League champions have been linked to both Jacob deGrom and Carlos Rodon, two of the top available starting pitchers.
The Rangers had a big offseason last winter, acquiring Mitch Garver from the Minnesota Twins and signing Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Brad Miller, and Jon Gray.
Still, starting pitching remains a top priority for the team as they look to build a contender for the first time since 2016.
Texas finished in fourth place in the American League West division in 2022, lacking a bona-fide ace in their rotation.
But the team isn’t sleeping.
There is work to be done, and with the Winter Meetings on the horizon, the Rangers look well-positioned to bring in an ace.
