When I scribbled my quick divisional previews on opening day this season, I said that I expected the Rangers to be disappointing and predicted them to finish with an 83-81 record. Which just goes to show how far they have really fallen. With a 53-85 record, Texas doesn't just have the worst record in the AL West, it has the worst record in all of baseball. The team has admittedly suffered from an incredible number of injuries, leaving the roster looking like a skeleton of the original plan, but Texas were expected to compete in the West and maybe go a long way in the play-offs. That said, if you're going to lose, you may as well lose spectacularly, and with Texas currently looking likely to secure the first overall pick in the 2015 draft, this could work out as a nice way to stock the farm.
Major Potential Free Agents
J.P. Arencibia, C
Alex Rios, OF ($13.5m option)
Colby Lewis, SP
The Rangers actually have a pretty youthful roster, although whether that is out of choice or desperation is probably a pertinent question. Rios was acquired late last season from the White Sox, and although he has hit pretty well this season (.282/.313/.402), it seems unlikely the Rangers will choose to exercise the option at this price, although stranger things have certainly happened. Colby Lewis is basically an innings eater, and if the Rangers want to contend next season then he shouldn't be a part of their rotation plans.
Off-Season Plan
Hitting: The J.P. Arencibia project behind the plate did not work out well, as his bat struggled and he ended up playing at first base, which is something of an insult to paying season ticket holders. The catcher of the future is presumably prospect Jorge Alfaro, but with a lot of work to be done in the minors, he won't be part of the Rangers plans until 2016 at the earliest. Robinson Chirinos and Tomas Telis are getting an extended audition to finish this season, with the former a decent defender and the latter a possibly above-average hitter but neither particularly polished. The Rangers would be well served to get a decent veteran from free agency to at least compliment whichever of the two makes a better impression, someone like David Ross potentially fits the bill. Fielder will man first base, health permitting, and Beltre and Andrus should form a solid left side of the infield. Rougned Odor has held his own at second base this season considering he's a 20 year old getting his first taste of Major League action, but he will surely be relegated to bench duty next season when uber-prospect Jurickson Profar returns.
Leonys Martin has proven himself to be a solid center fielder for the Rangers, playing strong defense, hitting righties at a good clip and stealing bases for fun. However, after another disappointing season against left-handers it seems obvious Martin would be best utilised in a platoon. Michael Choice doesn't seem to have the glove for center field, but his bat would profile well in a platoon with Martin. Alternatively, Chris Young will be available on the free agent market. Shin-Soo Choo will presumably slide over to right field if Rios departs, leaving a gap in left field which can be filled by another internal platoon (Robertson/Adduci) or via the external market with Melky Cabrera probably a little out of their price range but an ideal solution. The Rangers have a lot of high upside outfielders making their way through the system, but none are likely to make an impact in 2015.
Pitching: Yu Darvish will presumably anchor the Rangers rotation once more, and assuming health he should return to his dominant self. Derek Holland has spent most of 2014 on the DL, but if he can make a solid set of starts this September then he should be a lock for the opening day rotation next year. Matt Harrison is under contract for several more years, but after undergoing spinal fusion surgery earlier this season, his playing career looks to be in doubt so a return in 2015 cannot be banked on. Martin Perez started the season strong but unfortunately became victim to the Tommy John epidemic, and probably won't make a full recovery in time to be ready for the start of the season. Prospect 'Chi-Chi' Gonzalez has impressed at AA this season, and a good spring combined with the Rangers desperate need for starters could propel him into the conversation. With this many question marks it's hard not to imagine the Rangers delving into the free agent market assuming they are serious about competing, and depending on how much money they have available to spend, a top starter like Scherzer or Lester would give them a massive boost for 2015 and beyond. James Shields, Francisco Liriano and Ervin Santana are all cheaper options that could provide a lot of value to the club.
The Rangers are still looking for a dominant reliever to anchor their bullpen next season. Feliz has not possessed the same stuff since his return from TJ surgery, Alexi Ogando is dominant in bursts but has struggled with injuries. David Robertson and Francisco Rodriguez are top end options that could be acquired via free agency, so it wouldn't surprise me to see the Rangers make a move there or via trade.
Trade Possibilities
Rougned Odor's decent campaign at such a young age will likely have turned some heads in other front offices, and with a logjam on the infield the Rangers could deal him to a team with a hole at second base like the Yankees or Blue Jays for some pitching help. If they decide they want to go for a full rebuild it would make sense to deal Adrian Beltre, both to create room for top prospect Joey Gallo and to earn the Rangers some salary flexibility. Beltre would command a decent haul of prospects too, but the Rangers likely won't want to trade the leader of their franchise and arguably the best third baseman in the Majors. If they decide to give up some of their talent to compete now, then they could have more options, but with more teams competitive than ever it's tough to see which top players would be available.
Overview
The Rangers are coming off a cataclysmic disaster of a season, but the good news is that if they can get players healthy again then they have the talent to compete in 2015. Finances permitting, this team should be busy in free agency as they try to build a stronger rotation and bullpen, but with so much money locked up in the Fielder, Choo and Beltre deals, the Rangers may not have as much flexibility as they would want. This will be an interesting team to watch.
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