Who's Left? Best Texas Rangers Fits Among Top Remaining Free Agents

If money were no object, Montgomery might already be back. However, given that most experts believe Montgomery will get a contract of more than $100 million, the Rangers may not have the cash to bring Monty back to Arlington. The longer he goes without a deal, and the sooner the Rangers have TV broadcast clarity, the chances may improve.

If any one team's needs align with the current free-agent market, it’s the Rangers’ need for a reliable closer. Somehow, the Rangers won a championship without one. Lightning isn't likely to strike twice, and general manager Chris Young knows this. Hader is the best closer on the market by a wide margin. His slider (.100 average against) is nearly unhittable. Hader wants the top contract of any closer, which would require $105 million or more. He’s the rare closer that would be worth it.

The acquisition of Ohtani by the Los Angeles Dodgers made the veteran slugger superfluous for their lineup. The team that signs him would get a 36-year-old who hit 33 home runs and drove in 103 runs in 2023. He’s at the point in his career where a one- or two-year deal is the expectation. Imagine his power in this Rangers lineup? It would add another massive bat to the middle of an already deep lineup. The Rangers would have to be willing to use him as an everyday DH, which is something manager Bruce Bochy may not want to consider.

Superfluous? Perhaps. But, Pham would come cheap and likely on a one-year deal. He hits for power, has the speed to steal bases, and can play multiple outfield positions. The Rangers don’t need him to play every day. They just need him to spell outfielders and get a game or two per week at DH. He has a .871 OPS in the postseason.

If the Rangers can’t land Hader, then Hicks, 27, is a viable option as a young reliever who can work as a set-up man or as a closer. His sample size as a closer is small, but he could grow into the job. Like Aroldis Chapman, he has a 100 mph-plus fastball. Combined with his age, a multi-year deal with escalators could be a good fit.