How big of a factor will Texas Rangers starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore be for this team? Pretty big. 

That's the summation from ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan, who recently published a lengthy article focusing on key details surrounding all 30 MLB clubs.

When Passan took a look at the Rangers for the upcoming 2026 MLB season, he immediately pointed toward Gore. Texas obviously hopes that Gore can pitch well throughout the season.

If the Rangers are going to have a better record in 2026 under manager Skip Schumaker, then Gore has to deliver. Passan points that out, along with some other insights regarding Gore.

"The Rangers know what they're getting from Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi as long as both stay healthy," Passan wrote for ESPN.com. "Gore, their big acquisition of the winter in a trade that sent five prospects to Washington, is more of a wild card.

"At his best, he is a front-line pitcher, capable of striking out a dozen on any given day," Passan wrote. "At his worst ... the less said the better."

That's right, Rangers fans. Watching Gore pitch might turn into a glass half-empty, glass half-full situation sometimes. He might take the mound and simply overwhelm opponents. Or, opponents might simply overwhelm Gore and knock him out of a game early.

Passan is putting his focus on the Rangers giving Gore more guidance and direction than he got when he was with the Washington Nationals. 

"It's as simple as this: If deGrom and Eovaldi are healthy and Gore can match their performance, the Rangers are a playoff team," Passan wrote. "If not, they'll need a lot of help from an offense that has gone dormant two years running since Texas won the World Series."

While Passan focused on Gore, he also offered a thought regarding what just might surprise him from a Rangers standpoint in the 2026 MLB season. Passan thinks that Wyatt Langford might be ready for a big-time breakout season.

Passan wrote the following about Langford not surprising him with an American League MVP-winning season. Passan believes that Langford could finish among the top five vote-getters for the MVP title.

"Yes, the 24-year-old is that good, and he's showing it in spring training, where he has been one of the best hitters in the Cactus League," Passan wrote. "Spring stats are as reliable as airplane Wi-Fi, sure, but Langford emerging as a star is based on far more than a few at-bats against mediocre pitching staffs.

"It's the tools," Passan continued. "It's the talent. It's time."

Let's take a look at some statistics for both Gore and Langford.

Last season with the Nationals, Gore finished with a 5-15 record and a 4.17 ERA in 159 2/3 innings of work. Gore did record 185 strikeouts for Washington last season, so he's definitely got an ability to get hitters out.

Yet with that Nationals lineup not offering much support, Gore's record was abysmal. He'll look to turn things around with the Rangers now.

As for Langford, he put together a slash line of .241/.431/.775 in the 2025 MLB season with 22 home runs and 62 RBIs. If he's going to have an MVP season, then his numbers just need to get better.

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