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.

Guardians pull off one of baseball’s wildest turnarounds, erasing a 10-game skid to clinch a playoff berth on a walk-off hit-by-pitch from C.J. Kayfus that scored Petey Halpin. The moment capped a September surge that vaulted Cleveland into the postseason in improbable fashion.

Kwan and Ramírez anchored the offense; Rodríguez supplied a timely homer after a recall. Vogt’s steady leadership kept the team focused through distractions around Clase and Ortiz, setting up a home Wild Card Series as Cleveland completes one of the sport’s most dramatic comebacks.

Jacob deGrom capped a remarkable comeback with 30 starts for Texas, delivering ace-grade results and his most innings since 2019 while posting a 2.97 ERA and earning an All-Star nod.

Bochy had doubted whether he’d reach 30, making the feat even more meaningful; deGrom set a 200-inning target and a postseason push, and his five-inning, one-run win vs Minnesota underscored his value.

For fantasy, this season argues for early-round consideration in 2025 if healthy, though workload remains a risk.

Nathaniel Lowe was designated for assignment by Washington to clear room for Dylan Crews, a trade deadline drama that reshapes two rosters. Lowe slashed .216/.292/.373 with a career-worst -0.7 WAR and subpar defense at first, triggering the Nationals to DFA him to make space for Crews after his 60-day IL stint. Texas moved on earlier, shipping Lowe to shed salary and partly finance Joc Pederson’s two-year, $37 million deal, and replacing him with Jake Burger in a cost-controlled first-base plan.

Texas’ gains center on Burger’s value versus Lowe’s, at a fraction of the cost, even as Burger carries injury questions. Robert Garcia’s rise as a late-season high-leverage option and Pederson’s bat in the DH/OF mix underscore Texas’ push for offense, while Crews’ return from the injured list adds high-upside depth for Washington. The saga also features Lowe’s potential waiver outcomes and the Mariners/Diamondbacks backdrop as a reminder that one DFA can ripple across a pennant race landscape.