The Texas Rangers: Reinventing Their Bullpen for a Stronger Season

The Texas Rangers have been relatively quiet during the offseason, focusing on retaining the core of their World Series-winning team. While their offense remains intact, the rotation and bullpen still require some improvements.

One area of concern for the Rangers has been their bullpen. Last season, they had the seventh-worst ERA in the league, and their championship victory was largely attributed to the strong performances from the rotation despite the bullpen’s struggles.

Although most of their offseason moves have consisted of minor league signings, the Rangers have made a couple of notable additions to address their bullpen issues. They have signed free agents Kirby Yates and Tyler Mahle. In their latest move, they have acquired reliever Daniel Duarte from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash.

Duarte, who originally signed with the Rangers as an international free agent in 2013, pitched for the Reds during the 2023 season. Throughout his career, he has experienced various team changes, including being selected by the Kansas City Royals in the Rule 5 Draft and signing multiple minor league deals. Duarte made his major league debut in 2022 and spent the majority of the 2023 season with the Reds, recording a 3.69 ERA with one save and 23 strikeouts.

With this trade, Duarte will reunite with the Rangers at the major league level, providing much-needed depth to their bullpen and helping fill out their 40-man roster. His addition will be crucial as Texas aims to revamp their bullpen, which was their biggest weakness last year.

As the new season approaches, the Rangers’ focus on bolstering their bullpen demonstrates their commitment to addressing their weaknesses and maintaining their competitive edge. With the core of their championship-winning team intact and the addition of key bullpen pieces like Duarte, the Rangers are poised to make a strong push for success in the upcoming season.