Possible Closer Options for the Texas Rangers in 2025

By: Kasey Jarvis

The Rangers have once again gone into the off-season and done a overhaul of their bullpen. It’s no surprise that in Texas pitching has always been a struggle to come by especially when you get in later parts of the innings. The Rangers have a knack for having 1 or 2 guys year to year and then seemingly dissolve. This year it seems the final 3 outs will be done by a committee and not just one individual coming out of the bullpen and these are the pieces we could see coming into the 9th inning to lock down the games.

Heavy Favorite 

Chris Martin The heavy favorite will probably be Texas native Chris Martin. This is Martin’s second stint in Texas and is coming off 2 exceptionally good years with the Boston Red Sox and could easily be named the official closer of the team. The 38 year old in 100 appearances with the Red Sox had an eye popping 2.16 ERA with a 1.08 Whip and is in my opinion poised to be the guy for the Rangers going into 2025 and take on the lead as closer. He could very well be another Yates satiation from the last year and being one of the top arms in the game. Martin has the stuff to do it and the experience to be a lock down guy and even had playoff experience winning it all with Atlanta in 2021. 

Runner-Up 

Robert Garcia Another option depending on who the Rangers face in the final inning could be newly acquired LHP Robert Garcia whom the Rangers acquired via the Nathaniel Lowe trade with the Nationals. Garcia is coming off a year which saw him have an 4.22 ERA in 72 appearances but if you look at him a bit deeper, he had one of the best off-speed values in the league. Garcia really had top notch stuff in 2024 but the balls just weren’t falling his way and I’m sure Bochy, Maddux, Young and the Rangers are hoping they can get them to fall the right way this time and have him be a premiere arm in their bullpen for this upcoming season. 

The Wild Cards.

The Rangers added a few more pieces who you could see in some potential high leverage spots this season. 

LHP Hoby Milner was signed on a 1 year deal and has a career 3.82 ERA which saw a peak in 2023 where he had a 1.82 in 73 appearances but then took a step back last year when he had an 4.73 in 61 outings. However with one of the funkier deliveries in the game he can be quite deceptive and hopefully will provide some stability for Texas. 

Josh Sborz could also eventually be a late inning player for Bochy and company but will start the season on the IL dealing with his shoulder surgery from November of last year. Many fans know and love Josh Sborz for his heroics in the 2023 Playoffs but hasn’t been the same constantly dealing with his shoulder all of last season. Hopefully this surgery will help him be fully healthy when he’s back and he can be a viable option for Bruce Bochy.

Photo Via: Victory +