Texas Rangers look to bounce back in 2025
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The Texas Rangers, and especially Corey Seager, are putting on their game faces for this season. Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Texas Rangers are back in Arlington with a clean slate after a losing 2024 season.
Why it matters: There is no hope quite as potent as the optimism of Rangers fans after a bad season.
The latest: The Rangers' home opener is Thursday at 3:05pm against the Boston Red Sox, who are in town through Sunday.
State of play: The Rangers ended last year with a 78-84 record, but they've come back from worse.
- They nabbed the Commissioner's Trophy in 2023 after two seasons of 100-plus losses.
Threat level: Texas was middling during spring training, ending with a 14-16 record in Arizona. Boston, meanwhile, was 15-12.
- Boston added former Houston Astro Alex Bregman during the offseason with the goal of getting back into the playoffs.
- They also added Dodger hero Walker Buehler and former Ranger Aroldis Chapman to their pitching staff.
The big pitcher: Two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom may be fully back in play this season after missing most of the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery. He is likely to start Sunday.
- Nathan Eovaldi and Tyler Mahle return this season, but Jon Gray and Cody Bradford will be out of the starting rotation to start the season due to injuries.
- Kumar Rocker, who made his MLB debut last year, or top prospect Jack Leiter, might round out pitching.
Who to watch: The Rangers are largely unchanged from last season and even from the 2023 World Series team.
- Veterans shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien will still hold down the infield.
- Fan favorites Adolis García and Wyatt Langford will be in the outfield.
New faces: The Rangers added designated hitter Joc Pederson on a two-year $37 million deal.
- Pederson previously played with Seager on the Los Angeles Dodgers when they won the World Series in 2020.
- The Rangers signed veteran outfielder Kevin Pillar to a minor league deal, but he is likely to join Josh Smith as a utility player.
What's next: Rangers batting practice Thursday starts at 12:10pm. Red Sox start practice at 1:10pm.
- The Rangers are streaming local games this season on Victory+.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct that Evan Carter will not be starting the season with the Rangers. He will play for Triple-A Round Rock.