While GM meetings don't usually bring trades or signings, it's still a chance for Rangers to start doing some work.
Heading into the 2026 MLB season, the Texas Rangers not only have a new manager on board but a new mindset.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker already had laid the gauntlet down when it comes to addressing core issues within the 40-man roster.
While that's all well and good, the Rangers front office needs to chip in, too. Don't worry about that, though, Rangers fans. Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young wants the franchise to get back into prominence right now.
That's why it is worth paying attention to the upcoming General Manager's meetings that kick off on Monday. These meetings usually do not produce signings or trades, yet the hard work of making a lineup that can be a World Series winner really gets into gear.
What do the Rangers need to address right now? A good start would be the bullpen, getting a back-end starter, some catching help, and even an additional power hitter.
The Rangers have underperformed in the past two seasons which, in part, led the team to separate from Bruce Bochy and bring Schumaker back into the dugout.
"Does it feel surprising that the team with baseball’s best ERA and 22nd-best run scoring may need to focus as much on the arms as the bats?" an article from MLB.com asks.
"It’s largely because of the fact that nearly 40% of the team’s innings came from pitchers headed to free agency – and because the rotation is led by a 37-year-old (Jacob deGrom) and a 36-year-old (Nathan Eovaldi).
"Yet after two years of underwhelming offense, some kind of change has to happen, and it’s difficult to see this trio of veterans coming off of two straight down years – Adolis García, Marcus Semien and Jonah Heim – anchoring lineup spots in 2026," the article states.
"Given what sounds like a need for some budget tightening, president of baseball operations Chris Young might have to get creative to shake things up."
There's no doubt that Rangers ownership wants changes to be made. Young probably has some ideas in mind ahead of the GM meetings. He will go there and open up some meaningful discussions.
Whether those discussions turn into actual player moves remains to be seen.
Not long after the GM meetings end, the Winter Meetings are just around the corner early in December. At that point, it should not surprise Rangers fans if the team does some adjusting to the 40-man roster.
Time will tell, though, if Texas can get some serious work done.