The Texas Rangers missed the playoffs again this past season, with the team underperforming throughout the entire year.
As the team heads into the upcoming offseason, Texas has a lot of questions to answer around the entire roster. Much of this comes from the starting rotation, and the Rangers front office will need to address this problem.
Texas hasn’t been happy with the results from the past few seasons, with the club missing the playoffs for three straight years now. This coming offseason will tell a lot about where the Rangers are as a franchise, and how the team approaches it could determine everything for 2027.
Rangers Linked to Yankees Star
In a recent article from MLB analyst Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, Texas is urged to go after right-hander Luis Gil of the New York Yankees. Gil could be one of the odd players out from the Yankees’ starting rotation plans going forward, and the Rangers may want to take advantage.
“Both Nathan Eovaldi and MacKenzie Gore will be free agents next winter, while the Rangers will need to decide whether exercising a $20M club option for what will be Jacob deGrom’s age-40 season is a good idea. Even ignoring that 2028 dilemma, though, they could really use another arm for 2027, as they don’t have a single returning pitcher (even including that big three) who made at least six starts with a sub-4.20 ERA in 2026. The Yankees sure do have a surplus of starting pitchers, though, and would probably be willing to part with the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year,” Miller wrote.
Gil is a controllable pitcher that the Rangers could have for years to come, giving this team something to work with. The right-hander still has three years of arbitration left, and he is estimated to make $2.3 million for the 2027 season.
Last season with New York, Gil posted a 4.61 ERA over nine appearances (four starts). Gil threw 27.1 innings of work, striking out 17 batters over the course of the year.
Should Texas Make This Trade?
If Gil is available via trade this offseason, the Rangers should look to go after him. Not only would he help them for next season, but given that he’s under contract for years, the Rangers could have a guaranteed starter to work with.
Texas has to find a way to get back to the playoffs, and finding more pitching depth will be key in this. Gil is a former Rookie of the Year, and the Rangers could bank on him figuring it out again, especially with a change of scenery.
Playing for the Yankees can be tough for many players, and the Rangers could give him less of a pressure-filled playing spot. Texas wants to get back to contending, and taking fliers on players like this could be one way to make it happen.
Overall, the right-hander does make sense for the Rangers to consider, especially with all the other questions around the starting rotation this winter. Gil likely wouldn’t cost too much, and the Rangers could get a possible long-term starter this offseason.
Rangers Predicted to Land Yankees Star in Massive Offseason Move