The Texas Rangers struggled mightily in 2021, ultimately limping to the finish line with a 60-102 record, finishing last in the AL West by a wide-margin, 35 games behind the Houston Astros.
A significant portion of the players they entered last season with are now gone, including Joey Gallo, Kyle Gibson, Ian Kennedy, Jordan Lyles, Charlie Culberson, and Brock Holt. The Rangers had no choice but to tear it down at the trade deadline, shipping Gallo, Gibson, and Kennedy off to the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively.
Now, there are still bright spots left on this Texas Rangers club heading into 2022. Feeling as if they are in a position to be able to go for it, general manager Chris Young and company made massive splashes in free agency in the early parts of this offseason; signing their middle infield of the next handful of years in Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, as well as Jon Gray on the pitching side of things and Kole Calhoun in the outfield.
Semien, Seager, and Gray, signed for seven, 10, and four years, respectively, are undoubtedly going to be the faces of this Texas Rangers ballclub going forward and the hope is that they will join exciting young position players Nate Lowe, Adolis Garcia, and Sam Huff, as well as starter Dane Dunning and breakout reliever Joe Barlow in the heat of a postseason run in the near future.
The Texas Rangers have spent a significant amount of money early on in the offseason to shore up their roster, but there is most definitely still work to do.