General manager Chris Young and the Texas Rangers front office are looking for ways to improve upon a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw the Rangers miss the MLB playoffs for the second straight season following 2023’s World Series title.
Texas finished the year with an 81-81 record nine games back of the Seattle Mariners for first place in the American League West division, and a 2-8 close to the year took them out of the Wild Card race.
But the time of the year for taking big swings to improve MLB rosters is upon us, and the Rangers have both the roster and financial flexibility to bring in some impactful players in free agency.
Embattled Closer Ryan Helsley Could Solve Rangers’ Bullpen Problems
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
In the spirit of Black Friday being right around the corner, Andy McCullough of The Athletic provided a possible Black Friday shopping target for all 30 MLB teams, naming closer Ryan Helsley as a great option for the Rangers.
“By cutting loose outfielder Adolis García and catcher Jonah Heim, the Rangers freed up money to spend for 2026,” McCullough wrote. “By taking on the contract of Brandon Nimmo, owner Ray Davis saved some cash in 2026 while taking on more money in the long term. The team should lean into its pitching strength from 2025. Helsley combusted during his time with the Mets this past summer, but a good chunk of that failure could be chalked up to pitch tipping.”
It’s true that Helsey’s mets tenure was marred by tipping issues, but the veteran hurler is aware of them and seems confident that he can prevent them from morphing into a recurring issue. It’s really the only explanation for his struggles in a Mets uniform, as the two-time all-star posted a 7.20 ERA during his stint in Queens.
Jul 24, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) celebrates after the Cardinals defeated the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
“It was pretty obvious,” Helsley told The Athletic recently. “I’m not the greatest at (spotting pitch tipping), and even I could see it (on film with) the majority of the pitches.”
The Rangers could certainly stand to improve their bullpen in the offseason. The unit finished with the fifth best ERA in MLB at 3.62, but that was largely due to good luck, as they ranked 20th in bullpen xFIP at 4.22.
Adding a pitcher as talented as Helsley to the mix would instantly increase the group’s raw talent and stuff, and his career 2.96 ERA and 10.61 K/9 rate would instantly make him the most effective reliever under Rangers’ control if he were to join the team.
For a front office that is clearly aware of its shortcomings and aggressively focused on improving the team, as seen with the major trade that brought in Brandon Nimmo from the Mets, nabbing an experienced closer to help support a solid starting staff would be a massive win.