Biggest Need for Texas Rangers Going Into Spring Training

The Texas Rangers could use additional depth in the rotation, especially at the start of the season with three quality veteran starters recovering from injury,

With the start of spring training less than a month away, the Texas Rangers appear to be pretty set across the board. That doesn’t mean that the defending World Series champions don’t have some needs or holes to fill.

The Rangers lost out on the best reliever on the market when Josh Hader signed with the rival Houston Astros. The back end of the bullpen obviously remains one of the major concerns for Texas.

But it may not be the biggest. MLB.com compiled a list of the potential upgrades for all 30 clubs going into spring training, with the Rangers’ entry focusing on starting pitching.

In the second half of the 2024 season, the Rangers will have the ability to add Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and the recently signed Tyler Mahle to the rotation. But before then, the depth of experienced starting pitching is looking pretty thin. Nathan Eovaldi is likely the Opening Day starter, with Andrew Heaney, Dane Dunning, Jon Gray and Cody Bradford behind him, but the Rangers could use another veteran starter or two who can eat innings, while also adding more cushion for a potential injury.

The obvious answer here is signing Jacob Montgomery. The left-hander helped lead the Rangers to their first championship and, according to reports, wants to return.

There are other free-agent options and the possibility of a trade, with Corbin Burnes and Dylan Cease among those reportedly getting shopped.