The Texas Rangers are coming off a disappointing season in which they finished 81-81. Most of the blame falls on the offense, which struggled overall, only hitting .234. They do have multiple pitchers who are free agents, so they will need some others to step up.
They need a number of players to improve on their 2025 performance so that they can have a better year and compete for the American League West title. These are the Texas Rangers players who need to step up the most.
Three Texas Rangers Who Need to Step Up in 2026
Jake Burger
The Rangers traded for Jake Burger to replace former first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. Things largely did not work out for Burger, as he hit just .236/.269/.419 with 16 home runs. That was his lowest amount since 2021, when he only played 51 games. He was brought in to try to help a struggling Rangers’ offense, but he fell into the same funk as them.
Burger played in 103 games, as he struggled with his injuries and performance, and eventually spent some time at Triple-A. He also struggled defensively with -2 outs above average. He will need to step up big if the Rangers want to bounce back next year.
Joc Pederson
Joc Pederson was the biggest free agent signing by the Rangers last offseason, and he was expected to bring some thump into the lineup. However, the opposite happened, as he hit just .181/.285/.328 with nine home runs on the year. He also went through a 0-for-41 streak, which hurt his season and the Rangers as a whole.
After a disappointing first season with Texas, there is going to be a lot of pressure on Joc Pederson to help boost the offense in 2026.
Do you think he can have a bounce-back season? pic.twitter.com/jJEZOvEDJi
— SleeperRangers (@SleeperRangers) January 5, 2026
He is the fourth-highest-paid player on the roster, and he will need to step up for the Rangers to succeed. The team will need him to crush righties and be a bat that they can rely on.
Kumar Rocker
Expectations were high for Kumar Rocker coming into this year, as he put up impressive stats in the minor leagues and got a taste of major league action after his return from Tommy John surgery.
It did not turn out this way, as he put up a 5.74 ERA in 64 1/3 innings during 14 starts. He struck out 56 hitters while walking 23, and also posted a -1 WAR. His biggest issue was home runs, as his home runs per nine allowed nearly doubled from 0.8 in 2024 to 1.5 in 2025.
The team has lost Tyler Mahle and Merrill Kelly already, while Jon Gray and Patrick Corbin are pending free agents. This leaves the rotation down to Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Jack Leiter as the returning starters from last year.
Rocker will need to step up to help fill in for the rotation in the fourth or fifth spot. Jacob Latz could be a candidate to fill in the other spot.
The Last Word
These players will all need to step up for the Rangers if they want to come for the AL West. Burger and Pederson need to be killers in the lineup and give it a boost. Rocker might be called upon to shape the rotation and will need to show off some of his high-end talent.
Main Photo Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images