Texas Rangers head into winter with more questions than answers after back-to-back playoff misses. The offense regressed again, and the club plans to reshape the roster via free agency and trades, even as payroll is expected to dip below the $244 million tax threshold.

Nearly a third of the roster could hit free agency, with Joc Pederson and nine others in that bubble. Arbitration-eligible stars Adolis García, Jonah Heim, Jacob Webb, Josh Sborz, and Sam Haggerty loom, while core pieces DeGrom, Seager, Semien, Eovaldi, and Higashioka are locked long term. The pre arbitration group includes Jung, Burger and Leiter, shaping fantasy value for 2025.

Shawn Armstrong turned a rough 2023 into a breakout season, becoming the Rangers’ dependable late-inning option with career-best innings, strikeouts, saves and WHIP. His impact isn’t limited to the mound—his work with Big League Impact and the JR98 Foundation, funded by Rangers wins and strikeouts, has amplified his leadership and the club’s community footprint.

Texas Rangers enter the final 11 games needing peak bullpen stamina and a surge from the lineup. The bullpen has shouldered heavy high-leverage work since the All-Star break, while the top-order has stumbled and Seager along with Semien remain sidelined, thinning the offense at a critical moment. A favorable stretch includes Miami and Minnesota, but the ultimate test is a closing run against Houston and Cleveland.

If García, Jung and Pederson heat up and Leiter proves he can eat innings, Texas can still chase a wild-card path. Fantasy managers should watch timelines for Seager and Semien and monitor bullpen usage late, as every win in this tight race compounds into playoff odds.

Texas Rangers sprint to playoff contention with a 6-3 win over Milwaukee to complete the series sweep, buoyed by Jake Burger’s two-homer eruption. Burger’s power surge, paired with Helman’s clutch plays, fuels Texas’ late-season push and extends a season-best run above .500. The win tightens the wild-card landscape as the Rangers sit one game behind Seattle for the final third AL Wild Card berth and two behind Houston in the division.

Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta was tagged for five runs across five innings, while Merrill Kelly steadied the ship after the opener, and Pederson’s hustle-created runs in the third helped Texas pull away. The Rangers’ recent string of wins over top teams underscores their growing momentum as the regular season winds down.

Meanwhile, the Brewers see the setback while Texas maintains momentum in a tight playoff race, with key performers like Burger, Helman, Pederson, and deGrom guiding Texas toward a potential postseason berth.