The Rangers have several free agents coming up this offseason; a good number of them won’t return, while a few will. Here are a few that the Rangers need to make a priority and try to reacquire.
Three Players That The Rangers Must Bring Back
Phil Maton
The Rangers acquired Maton at the deadline and immediately shoved him into big innings, even though he had not spent much time with the team. He posted a 3.52 ERA in 23 innings with eight walks and 33 strikeouts. He converted three saves and posted a WAR of 0.2. These numbers don’t jump off the page, but the Rangers need someone in the back of the bullpen, given the free agents they have, and Maton presents an answer at the closer position. He has experience closing out games, and with young guys like Latz and Winn as guys who are expected to be big parts of the bullpen next year, it will be good to have an older guy there that can take on the big situations and mentor them.
Shawn Armstrong
Armstrong was the most reliable arm in the Rangers’ bullpen when he took over closer duties down the stretch. He logged a career-high nine saves with a 2.31 ERA in 74 innings. The Rangers signed him to a one-year, $1.2 million deal, and if they can bring him back for a similar price, they shouldn’t think twice about offering that type of contract.
Tyler Mahle
Mahle looked like one of the best pitchers in the league for the first two months of the season, but then injuries struck, costing him a significant portion of his season. He did return and was solid, but not the pitcher that he was before. The Rangers should look to bring him back as insurance for the rotation, as Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi are guys who have dealt with injuries in recent years, and injuries to pitchers can happen pretty quickly.
Mahle also put up solid numbers with a 2.18 ERA in 86.2 innings and 66 strikeouts compared to 29 walks. He meant not to hit these numbers again next year, but it is always good to have arms in your pitching rotation.
Main Photo Credits: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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