In perhaps the most underwhelming division race in history, the Astros won the AL West with an 81-81 record, while the Rangers finished a game (and a head-to-head tiebreaker) behind at 80-82.  While technically not far away from being a playoff team, Texas clearly still has a lot of holes to fill in order to become more than a quasi-contender, and it remains to be seen how much money is available to address those needs.

Guaranteed Contracts

• Corey Seager, SS: $155MM through 2031
• Jacob deGrom, SP: $37MM through 2027 (club option for 2028 worth either $20MM, $30MM or $37MM)
• Brandon Nimmo, OF: $81MM through 2030
• Nathan Eovaldi, SP: $20MM through 2027
• Danny Jansen, C: $9.5MM through 2027 (includes $2.25MM buyout of $8MM mutual option for 2028)

2027 guarantees: $115.MM
Total future commitments: $302.5MM

Option Decisions

• Joc Pederson, DH/1B/OF: $18.5MM mutual option for 2027 (no buyout)
• Kyle Higashioka, C: $7MM mutual option for 2027 ($1MM buyout)
• Jakob Junis, RP: $5MM mutual option for 2027 ($1.25MM buyout)

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

• MacKenzie Gore (5.000): $8.7MM
• Jake Burger (4.127): $6.9MM
• Ezequiel Durán (4.053): $4MM
• Josh Jung (4.027): $5.2MM
• Logan O’Hoppe (3.171): $3.1MM
• Cody Bradford (3.086): $1.3MM
• Robert Garcia (3.086): $1.1MM
• Wyatt Langford (3.000): $3.3MM
• Evan Carter (2.170): $1.7MM
• Jacob Latz (2.170): $3MM
• Non-tender candidates: Burger, O’Hoppe

Free Agents

• Pederson, Higashioka, Junis, Cal Quantrill, Tyler Alexander, Nicky Lopez, Elias Diaz, Jordan Montgomery, Jalen Beeks, Trevor Williams, Joe Ross

Since winning the World Series in 2023, the Rangers have followed up with a 74-88 record in 2024, an even 81-81 record in 2025, and this year’s 80-82 mark.  The spending spree that led to the Rangers’ championship and gave the team a top-seven payroll from 2023-25 has now been scaled back, as Texas’ approximate payroll of $192.8MM puts the team right in the middle of the pack at 15th of 30 teams (as per MLBTR’s Payroll Tracker).

Given how ownership has made a point of reducing spending, something in the range of that $192.8MM number figures to be the Rangers’ ceiling.  Between the $115.5MM committed to the five players under guaranteed contracts, and an estimated $28.6MM in arbitration salaries if Jake Burger and Logan O’Hoppe are non-tendered (which isn’t a lock), that puts Texas at around $144.1MM, plus some money naturally needed for the players on minimum salaries.

That gives president of baseball operations Chris Young a limited amount of spending flexibility, but not much or any room for big splashes in free agency.  Young will likely have to again get creative in addressing roster needs, as he did last season in the one-for-one swap that sent Marcus Semien to the Mets for Brandon Nimmo and $5MM in salary offset.  While Nimmo is owed more money over the long term than Semien, Nimmo was still productive if unspectacular in his first season in Arlington, whereas Semien’s production cratered in New York.

In terms of clearing more money off the books, trading any of Nimmo, Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom, or Corey Seager is easier said that done.  All four players have full no-trade protection, now that Seager achieved 10-and-5 rights by the end of the 2026 season.  Texas reportedly asked Eovaldi, deGrom, and Seager about the possibility of being traded at midseason, and deGrom used his no-trade clause to stay put (which may have ended talks between the Rangers and Braves about a possible deal).