The surest sign the Rangers are getting ready to part ways with Adolis García and Jonah Heim: They are actively shopping both in trade talks ahead of Friday’s deadline for tendering arbitration-eligible players contracts.
A person familiar with the Rangers’ thinking confirmed to The Dallas Morning News that the Rangers are trying to recoup something for the players ahead of the deadline. ESPN’s Jeff Passan also reported the club’s strategy. If the Rangers don’t trade the duo, the club would likely pass on offering them contracts, making them free agents.
Friday’s deadline is for setting the roster ahead of the winter meetings and the Rule 5 draft. The Rangers also added three players to the 40-man roster: Right-handers David Davalillo and Leandro Lopez and first baseman/outfielder Abimelec Ortiz.
García, who is entering his last year of arbitration eligibility before outright free agency, would likely get more than $10 million in the arbitration process. Heim, also in his last year of arbitration, would likely receive nearly $6 million based on service time. Both players were All-Stars in 2023, but have posted consecutive seasons well-below league average in OPS since. Over the last two years, both players have ranked among the 10 worst in OPS (minimum of 900 plate appearances). Heim’s .602 is 154th of 155; García’s .675 ranks 145th.
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Neither figures into what is expected to be a more balanced team offensive approach. And, with the Rangers expected to substantially trim payroll from $241.3 million, re-appropriating that money elsewhere might make more fiscal sense. The Rangers could potentially fill right field with a platoon of either Evan Carter or Alejandro Osuna and a right-handed hitter. They do not have a ready-made fix at catcher, but they can probably find significantly more offensive contribution than what they got from Heim for the same cost. Veteran Victor Caratini will probably cost somewhere between $6-7 million. Caratini has a .728 OPS over the last two seasons.
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Heim, 30, and García, who will play at 33 in 2026, could still be attractive to teams. Heim is a switch-hitting catcher who . García is a Gold Glove caliber defender, who averaged 30 homers a season from 2021-24. But if they get to free agency, it’s unlikely that either would command as much as they would make in arbitration. So, it seems a longshot the Rangers could find a trade partner, and, if they do, it would almost certainly be for minimal return.
They are not the only arbitration-eligible players on the 40-man roster. The Rangers have seven other arbitration-eligible players, headlined by Jake Burger and Josh Jung. Neither is expected to get more than $3.5 million, per projections by MLB Trade Rumors. Even though both underperformed in 2025, the affordable cost is well worth the risk. Similarly, Josh Smith, who is projected to earn $3 million, is too valuable as a utility man or potential every day second baseman if the Rangers trade Marcus Semien to let go in free agency.
The other potential arbitration castes with projected salaries in parentheses: Right-hander Jacob Webb ($2 million), infielder Ezequiel Duran ($1.4 million), outfielder Sam Haggerty ($1.4 million) and right-hander Josh Sborz ($1.1 million). Webb, a key contributor in the bullpen, is certain to be tendered a deal. Duran underperformed, Haggerty missed almost half the season with ankle issues and Sborz missed all of it after shoulder surgery. A case could be made to let all walk, but the total savings would amount to no more than a net of $1.56 million, the total overage of their three projections above the major league minimum. A pittance. Then again, if the Rangers are counting every dollar this winter, they might at least have to think twice about it.
The other part of finalizing the 40-man roster is adding players who must be protected from the Rule 5 draft. Players with Rule 5 draft eligibility currently not on the 40-man roster include outfielder Aaron Zavala (second round, 2021), infielder Cameron Cauley (third round, 2021) and left-hander Robby Ahlstrom (acquired from the New York Yankees for Jose Trevino, 2022).
The Rangers currently have 38 players on the 40-man roster. By the time rosters are set Friday, it’s likely to be at least two less, one way or another. All the signs point to Heim and García being gone.
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