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Offseason Outlook: Texas Rangers

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The Rangers spent half a billion dollars last winter and still lost 94 games in 2022. The focus was always more on the 2023 season than the 2022 campaign, given the timeline of the team’s top prospects. Still, ownership likely expected better results, as evidenced by the surprising August dismissal of president of baseball operations Jon Daniels — who’d been the third-longest-tenured baseball ops leader in the game. It’s now general manager Chris Young’s ship to steer.

Guaranteed Contracts

2023 commitments: $80MM
Total long-term commitments: $482.5MM

Option Decisions

  • Jose Leclerc, RHP: $6MM club option for 2023 with a $750K buyout (contract also contains $6.25MM club option for 2024)
  • Kole Calhoun, OF: $5.5MM club option for 2023 (no buyout)

Arbitration-Eligible Player (service time in parentheses; salary projections via Matt Swartz)

Free Agents

With Young installed as the baseball operations leader, the Rangers don’t need to go through a time-consuming search for a new front office boss. However, Young’s first order of business will be to determine whether interim manager Tony Beasley, who stepped up when manager Chris Woodward was fired (just two days before Daniels), is right for the permanent job. The 55-year-old Beasley’s time with the Rangers organization predates Young by years; Young, in fact, was still active as a player and won a World Series ring with the Royals in 2015 while Beasley was just getting started as a Rangers coach.

Given his eight-year stint on the Rangers’ staff, Beasley will likely have a role of some sort offered to him, even if he’s not tabbed as the long-term skipper. It’s common, however, for a newly minted general manager or president of baseball operations to want to bring in his own field staff. Young has already interviewed Beasley, but he’ll presumably be just one of several candidates.

Whether it’s Beasley or an outside hire, the new manager and Young will be tasked with finding a new pitching coach, as co-pitching coaches Doug Mathis and Brendan Sagara were ousted earlier this month. As with any managerial change — particularly one on the heels of a disappointing season — it’s possible the switch could bring about further turnover on the coaching staff.

As far as the roster is concerned, left-hander Martin Perez’s future is the first piece of the offseason puzzle for Young and his staff to consider. Originally signed by the Rangers more than a decade ago, the now-31-year-old Perez ranked as one of the game’s top overall prospects while rising through the minor league ranks. He had a solid, if unspectacular rookie campaign as a 22-year-old, and the organization saw enough to lock Perez up on a four-year extension with multiple club options.

As is too often the case with pitchers, injuries set in and quickly derailed the promising start to Perez’s career. He had Tommy John surgery in 2014, missed most of the 2014-15 seasons as a result, and upon returning settled in as a fifth starter — never recreating the 3.62 ERA that led to a sixth-place Rookie of the Year finish for him in 2013. Perez bounced from Texas, to Minnesota, to Boston, soaking up innings at the back of the rotation and generally beginning to look the part of a journeyman.

A one-year, $4MM reunion with Texas last offseason was met with a collective eye roll by many longtime Rangers fans, but Perez not only rebounded — he turned in far and away the best season of his career. Leaning more heavily on his changeup, Perez made 32 starts and piled up 196 1/3 innings with career-best marks in ERA (2.89), strikeout rate (20.6%), FIP (3.27) and Statcast’s “expected” ERA (3.59) — among other categories. Along the way, both he and Young publicly expressed interest in working out an extension, and the two parties are set to meet this week to discuss just that. Given Perez’s strong desire to remain in place and the Rangers’ arguably stronger need for reliable pitching, it seems quite possible that Perez won’t even reach the open market.

Even if the Rangers are able to secure a new contract with Perez — which would surely be a multi-year deal at a much heftier price than this year’s $4MM rate — that’ll just be the beginning of the team’s offseason quest for pitching. Re-signing Perez will give the club some direly needed dependable innings, but even an optimistic projection of Perez’s 2023-24 seasons would bake in some regression from this year’s peak performance. It’s sensible to view Perez as a No. 3/4 starter, but there’s a need for higher-impact arms to lead the starting staff, with or without Perez.

At the moment, right-hander Jon Gray is the only clearly above-average starting pitcher on the Texas staff. Signed to a four-year, $56MM contract last winter, Gray made 24 starts and pitched to a 3.96 ERA through 127 1/3 innings, striking out 25.7% of his opponents against a strong 7.5% walk rate. He had three brief IL stints, all unrelated to his arm (blister, knee strain, oblique strain), but was a solid performer with even better secondary metrics (3.80 FIP, 3.59 xERA, 3.46 SIERA).

Right-hander Dane Dunning, acquired two years ago in the trade that sent Lance Lynn to the White Sox, has proven a capable back-of-the-rotation arm, pitching to a 4.48 ERA in 271 frames since the trade. Both Dunning’s strikeout and walk rate are a bit worse than league average, though he offsets some of that with a very strong 53.6% grounder rate. So long as the hip surgery that ended Dunning’s season doesn’t impact him moving forward, he can be slotted into the fourth or fifth spot on the starting staff.

Righty Glenn Otto and lefties Taylor Hearn and Cole Ragans were the only other Rangers pitchers to work 40 or more innings out of the rotation this season, but the results were lacking. Hearn, who finished the year with a 5.13 ERA in 100 innings, might look like a non-tender candidate at first glance but posted a 3.51 ERA and 3.56 FIP in 41 innings as a reliever. That figures to be his role moving forward. Otto made 27 starts with a 4.64 ERA but more concerning under-the-hood numbers (18.2% strikeout rate, 10.6% walk rate, 5.21 FIP). Ragans posted a 4.95 ERA in 40 innings with just a 15.5% strikeout rate.

Suffice it to say, the Rangers have a clear, pressing need for both innings and, more importantly, for a top-of-the-rotation caliber arm. The free-agent market this winter features several such arms, and it stands to reason that the rumors connecting longtime Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw to his hometown Rangers will again swirl this winter. For the bulk of the 2021-22 offseason, it was believed that Kershaw would either return to the Dodgers or sign with the Rangers, allowing him to live in his Dallas-area home, commute to the park and spend more time with his wife and four young children.

Beyond Kershaw, the market will also include names like Carlos Rodon, Justin Verlander and Jacob deGrom, all of whom will opt out of their current contracts and return to the open market. Verlander and deGrom might prefer to sign with surefire contenders, but Rodon will be hitting the market in search of the first long-term deal of his career. If the Rangers are willing to put forth another nine-figure offer to lure a marquee free agent, he’s a viable target. Alternatively, Texas seems like a logical candidate to pursue star Japanese righty Kodai Senga, who boasts a 2.39 ERA over his past four NPB seasons, features a triple-digit heater, and is expected to be available to MLB clubs this winter.

That might seem unfathomable to some onlookers after the aggressive manner in which the Rangers spent last year, but despite doling out a half-billion dollars to Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, the Rangers’ payroll outlook is relatively clean. Texas has just $80MM in contractual guarantees in 2023 and one of the smallest arbitration classes in MLB. By 2024, they have just $74MM on the books, and because each of the Gray, Seager and Semien contracts were slightly front-loaded, those commitments won’t be quite as cumbersome in their later stages as the typical free-agent deal (which is oftentimes backloaded).

The Rangers ran a payroll of more than $142MM this season and have previously taken that number to nearly $175MM. Between that history of spending and the fact they’re still in the early years of a new stadium, it stands to reason that the Rangers will be able to spend aggressively this winter, even after last year’s spending spree. Young, in fact, has already publicly stated that owner Ray Davis has given the green light to increase payroll with the specific focus of improving the pitching staff.

If this feels like a lot of focus on the rotation thus far, well… it is. That’s due both to the acuteness of the need and also due to the fact that the Rangers’ roster is perhaps more rounded than one might expect of a 68-win team. Picking up Jose Leclerc’s $6MM option is an easy call after he returned from Tommy John surgery to post a 2.83 ERA in 47 2/3 innings. He’ll be joined by fellow Tommy John returnee Jonathan Hernandez, 2022 team saves leader Joe Barlow, the aforementioned Hearn and lefty Brock Burke, who had one of the most quietly dominant rookie showings in recent memory: 82 1/3 innings, 1.97 ERA, 27.4% strikeout rate, 7.3% walk rate.

Certainly, there’s room to add to the relief corps. Journeyman Matt Moore, like Perez, returned for a second stint in Texas this past season and (also like Perez) posted one of the finest seasons of his career. Moore, another once-vaunted starting pitching prospect who never fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, broke out as a successful high-leverage reliever this season, pitching 74 innings of 1.95 ERA ball. As with Perez, there’s good reason for the Rangers to want him back, but Moore should have no shortage of interest in free agency. Whether it’s Moore or another veteran, it’s fair to expect Young & Co. to bring in some reinforcements in the ’pen.

Turning to the lineup, things are mostly set. Seager and Semien will, of course, form the middle-infield duo. Former Rays prospect Nathaniel Lowe turned in a second half for the ages, elevating his stock from quality regular to potential All-Star. Lowe hit .339/.399/.566 following the All-Star break, and while his poor defensive ratings could portend an eventual move to designated hitter, he’s going to rack up as many plate appearances as possible.

Top prospect Josh Jung got a late-season look at third base, and although he struggled in 102 plate appearances, there’s not much left for him to prove in Triple-A. Jung missed most of the season following shoulder surgery but beat his originally projected recovery timeline by a notable margin and returned with a flourish in Triple-A Round Rock. He’s still appeared in just 58 total Triple-A games, so perhaps the organization will want him to spend a bit more time there, but Jung’s .316/.389/.598 batting line at that level doesn’t suggest there’s too much more minor league seasoning required.

Behind the plate, the Rangers entrusted Jonah Heim with the lion’s share of the workload and figure to do so again in 2022. While his .227/.298/.399 batting line isn’t going to win him any awards, Heim smacked 16 home runs and graded out as one of MLB’s top defensive catchers. Former Twins catcher Mitch Garver, the presumptive regular on Opening Day, missed most of the season with a flexor strain that eventually required surgery. He should be healthy again in 2023, but Garver has more than enough bat to mix in as a designated hitter while shouldering a lesser portion of the catching workload than Heim.

Former top prospect Sam Huff gives the Rangers the option of carrying three catching options on the big league roster, and former Royals prospect Meibrys Viloria is also still on the 40-man roster after a strong year in Triple-A — though he’ll be out of options next year.

The window is open for the Rangers to add a veteran corner infield/designated hitter option, but there’s enough depth that they shouldn’t deem it an absolute need. A veteran catcher on a non-roster deal — particularly if Viloria doesn’t hold his 40-man spot — could also be an option. It’s possible Kevin Plawecki will fill this role; Beasley praised Plawecki’s clubhouse presence when explaining the team’s rationale for bringing in a recently released pending free agent with under two weeks remaining in the season.

More broadly, however, if there’s a clear spot in the lineup where the Rangers could invest, it’s in the outfield. Adolis Garcia has cemented his spot in the outfield mix since being acquired from the Cardinals (for cash) prior to the 2021 season, belting 56 homers and swiping 41 bases while posting standout defensive metrics in both center field and right field. The Rangers would surely prefer an improvement on his .293 OBP in that time, but Garcia’s blend of power, speed and defense have generally offset that deficiency.

Elsewhere in the outfield, however, things are more open. Leody Taveras had a decent showing in center field, and fleet-footed rookie Bubba Thompson stole 18 bases despite tallying just 181 plate appearances. That said, Thompson hit only .265/.302/.312, and even that below-average output (77 wRC+) included a grisly 30.9% strikeout rate while being buoyed by a .389 BABIP he’s unlikely to sustain. Taveras’ .344 BABIP mark isn’t as suspect, but if it dips even slightly, his already tepid offense could become untenable.

There are other options on the roster, including 25-year-old Josh Smith, 27-year-old Nick Solak and 28-year-old Eli White. Smith, however, didn’t replicate his strong Triple-A numbers in the Majors. Solak will be out of minor league options next year and might well have played his way off the 40-man roster, whether it be via non-tender or trade. (He did have a solid showing in Round Rock.) White profiles best as a fourth outfielder.

If the Rangers prefer to find an outfield upgrade on the free-agent market, there’s no shortage of options. Brandon Nimmo headlines center field options, but Garcia’s defensive prowess — plus the presence of Taveras — don’t box the Rangers into searching for a center fielder only. Corner options range from clear multi-year candidates like Andrew Benintendi and Mitch Haniger to potentially shorter-term veterans like Joc Pederson and Michael Brantley. There’s enough of an outfield need and enough spending capacity to warrant an obligatory Aaron Judge mention, but it’s hard to envision Judge realistically landing in Texas with such a pronounced need for pitching and with last year’s Seager/Semien mega-deals still being so fresh.

The alternate route for the Rangers to explore, be it for outfield or pitching help, is the trade market. Texas has a quality farm from which to deal, ranking sixth on Baseball America’s midseason ranking of MLB’s minor league systems. Given the need for pitching, one would imagine it’d be hard to deal top prospects/former first-round picks like Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker and Cole Winn. That said, the Rangers still have plenty of position prospects who are blocked long-term on the big league roster and/or who are far enough from the Majors that Young and his staff would consider dealing them in an effort to put a winner on the field now. The aforementioned Smith, outfielder Evan Carter, infielder Ezequiel Duran, and infielders Luisangel Acuna and Justin Foscue would all hold varying levels of value.

Certainly, there’s more than enough value in the Texas system to acquire a controllable outfielder, but the Rangers are also deep enough in minor league talent they can make a compelling offer for virtually any starting pitcher that hits the trade market. A lot will need to go right in 2023 for Texas to reverse course, but this is a team that already ranked eighth in the Majors in home runs (198) and 12th in runs scored (707). There are some organic improvements to the offense on the horizon, and Young will now try to pull the right strings with the pitching staff and in the outfield to position Texas as a surprise postseason contender in 2023.

Young: Rangers To Increase Payroll This Offseason

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During his year-end press conference, Rangers GM Chris Young told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that team owner Ray Davis, who Young described as “frustrated,” had committed to increasing the team’s payroll this offseason, with the goal of improving the team’s pitching staff. Grant also notes that Davis may want to see another bat added to the lineup as well.

The Rangers 2022 payroll clocked in at over $142MM, an increase over 2021 of roughly $48MM. For 2023, Texas has about $85MM committed in payroll, though this does not include arbitration-eligible players such as Mitch Garver. Still, this should leave the Rangers with over $50MM available even before factoring in any increases in payroll, allowing the team plenty of flexibility when searching for additions this offseason.

The Rangers will need every additional resource they can get if they want to compete in 2023. The team lost 94 games in 2022 even after making a major splash in free agency this past offseason by adding both Marcus Semien and Corey Seager to their infield. While Texas committed significant dollars to that duo, their other additions were far less impactful, with Kole Calhoun struggling mightily in 125 games this season, Garver missing most of the year with forearm issues, and their big pitching acquisition, Jon Gray, pitching to an ERA+ of just 99. Martin Perez was a revelation this season, but the Rangers will have to re-sign him this offseason for that to matter for them in 2023, and Young says the team expects to meet with Perez’s agents next week.

Also on the docket for the Rangers next week is a continuation of their managerial search. While the Rangers have already interviewed interim manager Tony Beasley, Young said they would begin interviewing external candidates next week. While Young did not specify any names, he did speak highly of former Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who he played under with the Padres in 2006. Bochy, who won the 2010, 2012, and 2014 World Series with San Francisco, would provide the Rangers with a more experienced manager as they move on from Chris Woodward, who had no managerial experience prior to his stint with Texas, which began in 2019. In addition to Woodward, president of baseball operations Jon Daniels was fired earlier this season, though it is unclear if the Rangers will look to add another GM to their front office to assist Young.

It’s no surprise that improving the team’s pitching is a priority for Young this offseason, as the starting rotation in Texas was a disaster in 2022. Of the nine players to start more than two games for the Rangers this season, just two of them had a season better than league average by ERA+: Perez and Matt Bush. Bush was traded to the Brewers at the trade deadline in exchange for Mark Mathias and Antoine Kelly. As previously mentioned, Perez is a pending free agent, leaving the Rangers with no players under contract for the rotation next year who had a better than average season in 2022. Gray can still be counted on as a member of the rotation, and the Rangers are likely to allow youngsters Dane Dunning, Spencer Howard, and Glenn Otto compete for the final spot in the rotation. That still leaves 3 spots in the rotation vacant, however, so they’ll need to make multiple additions even if they re-sign Perez.

Both Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom are expected to hit the free agent market this offseason, and have been rumored previously to have interest in playing in Texas. While the Rangers certainly have the payroll space available to acquire one of them, it’s an open question whether either ace would want to move from a club already contending for a championship to a much more uncertain situation with the Rangers. Looking down the market at less flashy options, Chris Bassitt, Jose Quintana, Tyler Anderson, and Nathan Eovaldi are among the mid-rotation options who clubs have counted on to start playoff games in the past. While an ideal offseason would surely involve signing an ace, even the acquisition of a pair of solid, playoff-caliber mid-rotation starters to pair with a re-signed Perez would represent a substantial improvement in the rotation for Texas.

While the Rangers offense is not as desperate for an overhaul as the rotation, there’s still clear room for improvement. The infield is largely in good shape, with Seager, Semien, and Nathaniel Lowe all capable of all star caliber production and top prospect Josh Jung having made his MLB debut this season. Behind the plate, the Rangers are also likely set, with some combination of Garver, Jonah Heim, and Sam Huff likely to handle the catcher position next year. The outfield, however, is in desperate need of improvement. While Adolis Garcia has proven himself to be a quality regular and Leody Taveras has looked acceptable in 99 games this season, the Rangers have little else in the way of outfield help currently on the roster.

Outside of a surprise bid for the services of Aaron Judge, Brandon Nimmo represents the top of the outfield market for Texas. That being said, Nimmo will likely receive a great deal of interest due to the lack of quality two-way center field options available, so the Rangers may need to explore other options. Andrew Benintendi, Joc Pederson, and Mitch Haniger are among the quality regulars available on the free agent market this offseason. The Rangers could also explore the trade market, where Ian Happ, Ramon Laureano, and Bryan Reynolds are among those who could be made available this offseason.

Another potential solution in the outfield could be a reunion with Joey Gallo. Gallo struggled mightily after the Rangers traded him at last year’s deadline, posting an 84 OPS+ in 184 games between the Yankees and the Dodgers since the trade. Gallo has had great success with the Rangers in the past, however, earning all star appearances in both 2019 and 2021. Prior to being traded, Gallo spoke very highly of the Rangers and indicated he would like to stay in town long term. With the Rangers in desperate need of outfield help, and Gallo looking for a comfortable place to bounce back this offseason, a reunion could make a great deal of sense for both sides.

Rangers Interview Tony Beasley In Managerial Search

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The Rangers conducted a managerial interview with interim skipper Tony Beasley today, president of baseball operations Chris Young informed reporters (including Kennedi Landry of MLB.com). Beasley, who held the position on an interim basis after Chris Woodward was fired in mid-August, is the only internal candidate under consideration. It’s unclear how many people outside the organization will meet with Texas brass in the coming weeks.

The 55-year-old Beasley first joined the Texas coaching staff in advance of the 2015 season. He held a coaching position under both former managers Jeff Banister and Woodward. After initially serving as third base coach for the 2022 campaign, Beasley was promoted to interim manager for the last six weeks of the season. The Virginia native took over a team that had a disappointing 51-63 record at the time. The club didn’t find any better results down the stretch, going 17-31 to close out the year at 68-94.

Certainly, Young and his staff will look at more than just the team’s record over six weeks in an already non-competitive season in determining whether Beasley warrants serious consideration for the full-time job. He’s clearly earned the respect of multiple previous skippers and the front office, although former president of baseball operations Jon Daniels was let go not long after Woodward.

Young is leading a baseball operations department for a first time, making the managerial search his first big decision. Hired as general manager during the 2020-21 offseason, the former big league hurler spent a year and a half as Daniels’ top assistant. He was kicked up to the top of the front office once ownership dismissed Daniels, and Young saw a bump in title from GM to president of baseball ops. The 43-year-old said today he’s not yet decided whether the team will look for a new GM to play a similar role that he’d served under Daniels (via Levi Weaver of the Athletic).

Rangers Will Meet With Martin Perez Next Week

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The Rangers are planning to meet with Martin Perez and his representatives at Octagon next week, general manager Chris Young said at today’s end-of-season press conference (Twitter link via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). Perez, a free agent, has expressed interest in re-signing with Texas at multiple points this summer, and Young went on record to express interest in retaining the 31-year-old southpaw.

Originally signed by the Rangers as an amateur out of Venezuela, Perez one ranked among the sport’s very best pitching prospects. He finished sixth in American League Rookie of the Year voting back in 2013 and looked very much like a pitcher on the rise; Perez inked a four-year, $12.5MM contract extension that included three club options after that rookie season.

Perez’s upward trajectory quickly hit a snag in 2014, however, as elbow discomfort sidelined him for much of the season and ultimately culminated in Tommy John surgery. He returned late in 2015, but Perez saw his command and strikeout rates both continue to trend in the wrong direction. He settled in as a back-of-the-rotation starter, bouncing from Texas to Minnesota to Boston before returning to the Rangers on a one-year, $4MM deal in free agency this past winter.

The Perez reunion was met with a healthy bit of skepticism, but he’s quieted naysayers with far and away the best showing of his career. In 32 starts and 196 2/3 innings, Perez worked to a 2.89 ERA, a career-best 20.6% strikeout rate and an 8.4% walk rate that was his third-best mark since returning from Tommy John surgery. Perez’s 51.4% grounder rate was his best mark since 2016.

There hasn’t been a radical overhaul of Perez’s pitch arsenal — no new, bat-missing slider that’s turned him into a dominant arm — but he’s succeeded with some more subtle changes. This year’s 27.7% usage rate on his changeup is the highest of his career, and Perez has increasingly favored his sinker, relegating his four-seamer and curveball to little more than occasional change-of-pace offerings. It’s been primarily sinker, cutter and changeup for Perez in 2022, and it’s hard to argue with the results.

For all the money the Rangers spent last year — more than a half-billion dollars in free agent contracts — the starting rotation remains in a state of flux. Last year’s main pickup for the starting staff, Jon Gray, posted strong results in his first season away from Colorado’s Coors Field, pitching to a 3.96 ERA in 127 1/3 innings but also missing time with minor knee and oblique issues. Right-handers Dane Dunning and Glenn Otto made 29 and 27 starts, respectively, finishing with ERAs in the mid-4.00s (though Otto’s strikeout and walk rates paint a more bearish picture). Texas has about $85MM on next year’s payroll, before considering a $6MM club option on Jose Leclerc and a small arbitration class headlined by Mitch Garver and Taylor Hearn.

Beyond that trio of Gray, Dunning and Otto, there’s no real certainty. Starting pitching figures to be a primary focus for the Rangers this winter, and while Perez may not be expected to repeat his 2022 excellence, he’d be a strong stabilizing presence and a nice early complement as the new-look Texas front office seeks a higher-profile addition for the top of the rotation. Perez has certainly earned himself a multi-year deal with that 2022 showing, and the question will now become one of whether the two parties can find a common ground.

Publicly stated mutual interest from the two parties is a good start but hardly solidifies that a deal will come together. If Perez does reach the open market, he ought to draw a fair bit of interest. He continued to command Major League contracts with decent guarantees even on the heels of lackluster performances, after all, signaling that teams throughout the league have long believed there’s another gear for him to reach. Now that he’s seemingly found that next level, that interest will only intensify.

Rangers Make Pitching Coach Change

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The Rangers have announced that co-pitching coaches Doug Mathis and Brendan Sagara will not return in those roles next season. Mathis will not return to the organization in any capacity, while Sagara has been offered a different position within the organization. Moreover, first base coach Josh Johnson will move to an on-the-field minor league player development position that has yet to be determined. The remaining members of the coaching staff have been offered a chance to return with roles to be determined once the Rangers have completed their managerial search.

Mathis began his career in a playing role, starting with the Rangers Single-A minor league affiliate in 2006. He made his major league debut in 2008 and was shuttled on and off the field between 2008-2010, eventually spending time in the KBO, NPB, and CPBL before transitioning to coaching in 2017.

Contrastly, Sagara’s career has been largely coaching-based. Since college baseball at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Sagara has been a coach in the Mets, Braves, Marlins, Cubs, and Rangers systems before being promoted to co-pitching coach for the Rangers in late 2020.

Johnson has been with the Rangers organization since 2019, beginning in Single-A and joining the major league team in mid-August 2022 after then-manager Chris Woodward was fired. Third base coach Tony Beasley moved up to interim manager, while Corey Ragsdale was moved to third base. Johnson came up from the minors to coach first base.

Mathis and Sagara were given the title of co-pitching coaches after the 2020 season, with then GM and President of Baseball Operations Jon Daniels explaining that the team viewed the duo as having “some individual strengths” and that he considers the role as having “a lot to do, and it’s a bigger job than just one person,” per Levi Weaver of The Athletic.

However, since the start of the 2021 season, the pitching staff hasn’t had much success. Rangers’ starters have the fifth-highest ERA (4.98), eighth-lowest strikeout percentage (19.5%), and sixth-highest walk percentage (8.4%). Relievers have had slightly more success, with the Rangers’ bullpen issuing a slightly below-average 3.92 ERA, low 22.4% strikeout rate, and higher-than-average 9.5% walk rate.

Those struggles continued this season, with Texas’ rotation posting a 4.63 ERA in 2022. Free agent signee Martin Perez had a great season and Jon Gray was solid when healthy, but the back of the rotation was a problem all year. Dane Dunning, Glenn Otto, Taylor Hearn and former top prospect Spencer Howard all struggled during their work in the rotation.

It isn’t clear whether the Rangers will again look to deploy a co-pitching coach arrangement or identify one hire to assume the job. Daniels is no longer in the organization, with Chris Young now leading baseball operations. Of course, Young also has to decide how to proceed at manager. Beasley figures to get some consideration for the permanent position, but Young and his group could also look outside the organization for a new skipper.

Tommy Boggs Passes Away

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Former major league pitcher Tommy Boggs passed away today after a battle with cancer, according to an announcement from Concordia University. Boggs, who’d been the head baseball coach at Concordia since 2009, was 66 years old.

The second overall pick of the 1974 draft, the right-hander joined the Rangers organization out of an Austin high school. Two years later, he was in the big leagues, debuting in July 1976 a few months shy of his 21st birthday. He made 13 starts for Texas as a rookie, pitching to a 3.49 ERA over 90 1/3 frames. He made just six MLB starts the following year, spending most of the season in Triple-A. Boggs was dealt to the Braves at the end of that year, part of a four-team blockbuster that sent Bert Blyleven from Texas to the Pirates.

Boggs would spend the next six seasons in Atlanta. After bouncing between the majors and Triple-A for the first two years, he carved out a permanent rotation role between 1980-81. Boggs had the best year of his career in 1980, making 32 appearances and working to a 3.42 ERA through 192 1/3 frames. He posted a 4.10 mark over 25 outings the following season before transitioning back into a depth role. Boggs stayed in Atlanta until 1983, then returned to the Rangers organization. After a year in the minors, he closed out his playing career with four relief appearances for Texas in ’85.

Altogether, Boggs played parts of nine MLB seasons. He posted a 4.22 ERA over 584 innings, winning 20 games and striking out 278 batters. He started 94 of his 114 big league outings.

MLBTR sends our condolences to Boggs’ family, friends, loved ones, former teammates and the number of players he coached at Concordia.

AL Notes: Picollo, Harris, Tigers, Perez, Rangers, Diaz

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After Dayton Moore was fired earlier this week, Royals GM J.J. Picollo was promoted to lead the Royals’ baseball operations department, and he met today with the media (including The Kansas City Star’s Lynn Worthy and 610 Sports Radio’s Josh Vernier).  Much has yet to be determined heading into what could be a busy offseason for the club, and Picollo said he has yet to make a decision on manager Mike Matheny or any members of the coaching staff.

In terms of players, Picollo said that the front office is “in the very infantile stages” of considering an extension for Bobby Witt Jr., though the team is indeed interested in such a deal.  The 22-year-old is completing a strong rookie season, and an extension would both solidify Witt as a cornerstone piece of the Royals’ future, and also give K.C. some cost certainty going forward.  Witt is already controlled through the 2027 season, however, so there isn’t necessarily any rush for Picollo and company to immediately work out an extension.

More from around the American League…

  • The AL Central’s other new front office boss also met with reporters earlier this week, with new Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris telling The Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold and other media members that the club simply plans to improve, without a specific timeline or any indication as to whether the Tigers will take a step back to reload, or try to build and contend in 2023.  “I am treating this as an opportunity for us to get better this winter….And we’re going to look up at the end of the winter and we’re going to have a much better feel for when the most competitive Tigers team is going to come out,” Harris said.  “That’s how I believe every baseball team should be built.  I don’t believe in strict five-year plans with specific benchmarks that you have to reach year over year.  There’s too much variability in the sport to define a plan as concretely as that.”
  • Impending free agent Martin Perez and the Rangers will wait until after the season to discuss an extension, according to The Athletic’s Levi Weaver (Twitter link).  There has been speculation for months that both and Perez and the team were interested in reaching a new deal to keep the left-hander in Arlington, and while a deal hasn’t yet been reached, there is still plenty of time for the two sides to talk before Perez is scheduled to hit the open market.  Perez is enjoying a career year, with a 2.90 ERA over 183 1/3 innings and his first All-Star selection.
  • Yandy Diaz has missed the Rays’ last five games due to a sore shoulder, but the infielder told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times and other reporters that he is doing “a lot better” after getting a cortisone shot earlier this week.  It doesn’t appear as though Diaz will require a trip to the injured list, but it also isn’t yet known when he might be back on the field.  Diaz has been a big part of Tampa’s offense, hitting .292/.399/.419 over 549 plate appearances this year, resulting in an excellent 145 wRC+.

Rangers’ Dane Dunning To Undergo Arthroscopic Hip Surgery

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Rangers right-hander Dane Dunning will undergo arthroscopic hip surgery next week, the team announced.  Dunning will finish his 2022 season with a 4.46 ERA, 53.3% grounder rate, 20.4% strikeout rate, and 9.2% walk rate over 153 1/3 innings and 29 starts in the Texas rotation.

Acquired from the White Sox as the centerpiece of the Lance Lynn trade in December 2020, Dunning’s first two seasons in Texas have been pretty statistically identical, though he tossed only 117 2/3 frames in 2021.  Over both seasons, Dunning has a 4.48 ERA/4.14 SIERA, with below-average strikeout, walk, and hard-hit ball rates.  Dunning’s ability to keep the ball on the ground has helped him avoid major damage, and a .324 BABIP over the last two seasons indicates that the righty has perhaps been a little unlucky in maximizing his return on that strong groundball rate.

Assuming he returned from this hip surgery in good form, Dunning projects as a rotation piece for the Rangers both in 2023 and over the long term, as he’ll be 28 on Opening Day and is controlled through the 2026 season.  However, the rotation as a whole was not a strength for the Rangers this season, and they are sure to focus on upgrading the pitching staff during what might be another very busy offseason.  The Rangers already parted ways with longtime president of baseball operations Jon Daniels, and the onus will be on general manager Chris Young (a former MLB pitcher himself) to get the club back to contention.

Jon Gray looks like the only member of the 2022 rotation who is thusly guaranteed a job in next year’s starting five, though Texas is hopeful of re-signing Martin Perez.  Dunning’s track record and ability to at least eat innings may give him a leg up on other younger or more unproven rotation candidates, but nothing can really be ruled out considering how intent Rangers ownership is on fielding a winner.  Dunning has already been part of two notable trades during his relatively short career, and he could be an interesting trade chip once more if the Rangers are looking to overhaul their rotation picture.

Rangers Sign Kevin Plawecki

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The Rangers have now officially signed catcher Kevin Plawecki, a move that was hinted at in recent reporting. The club announced the move, along with Nick Solak heading to the 60-day injured list with a right foot fracture in a corresponding move. The Solak move is a mere formality, as it was previously reported that he suffered a season-ending foot fracture.

Plawecki, 31, spent the past three seasons with the Red Sox, performing quite well in the first two. Over 2020 and 2021, while backing up Christian Vazquez, Plawecki hit .305/.364/.414 for a wRC+ of 112, or 12% above league average. He wasn’t able to sustain it here in 2022, however, dropping to a batting line of .217/.287/.287, 61 wRC+.

With the Red Sox out of the playoff race and Plawecki approaching free agency, they decided to give more playing time to controllable catchers like Reese McGuire and Connor Wong. That led to Plawecki getting designated for assignment, a move that apparently rankled the Boston clubhouse. Nathan Eovaldi and Rich Hill spoke on the record about Plawecki’s popularity on the club as a veteran leader, which is something it seems the Rangers are interested in.

Levi Weaver of The Athletic relays that he spoke to interim manager Tony Beasley about the move, with Beasley highlighting Plawecki’s reputation as a clubhouse guy and outlining how his presence would allow the club more flexibility in deploying its two other catchers, Jonah Heim and Sam Huff, down the stretch.

Rangers Interested In Signing Kevin Plawecki After Release From Red Sox

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5:45pm: Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News confirms the Rangers’ interest while relaying that the corresponding move would be placing infielder/outfielder Nick Solak on the injured list. Solak was recently diagnosed with a season-ending foot fracture. However, the transaction won’t happen right away, as Rob Bradford of WEEI relays that Plawecki can’t officially sign until 1:00pm on Wednesday.

5:30pm: The Red Sox have released catcher Kevin Plawecki, per Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. Plawecki had been designated for assignment on Friday. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports on Twitter that the backstop will be signing with a new team “imminently.” Robert Murray of FanSided reports that the Rangers are expressing “serious interest” in signing Plawecki.

Plawecki, 31, has been with the Red Sox since signing with them in January of 2020. He spent much of the past few years serving as the backup behind Christian Vazquez, getting into 24 games in the 60-game 2020 season, followed by 64 last year and 61 here this year. He had a decent showing at the plate in the first two of those years but has slumped here in 2022, hitting just .217/.287/.287, wRC+ of 62.

With the Sox sliding out of contention and Plawecki heading into free agency at season’s end, it made logical sense to give more playing time to Reese McGuire and Connor Wong, since both of them come with years of control beyond the current campaign. However, it was reported yesterday that certain players on the team didn’t see it quite so simply, lamenting the loss of Plawecki as a veteran clubhouse leader.

Regardless of Plawecki’s reputation among his fellow players, he wasn’t likely to be claimed off waivers given his tepid performance and $2.25MM salary for this year. It seems that he has indeed cleared waivers and become a free agent, leaving Boston on the hook for the remainder of that contract. For whoever ends up grabbing Plawecki, they would only have to pay him the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the roster, with that amount being subtracted from what the Sox pay.

For the Rangers, they currently have Jonah Heim as their primary catcher with Sam Huff as the backup. Huff has options and can thus be sent down to the minors if the club prefers to have Plawecki on the roster, or they could also carry three catchers given the expanded September rosters.

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