No team in the American League won more games than the Texas Rangers last season, and the franchise went on to capture its second straight division title. But they’ll be in tougher this year, with the state rival Houston Astros the heavy favourites in the AL West.
As we approach the 2017 season, we’re previewing what’s ahead for each of the 30 MLB teams. The Texas Rangers are next:
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Up-and-coming player to watch
Outfielder Nomar Mazara is coming off a rookie campaign in which he showed flashes of greatness at the plate early on, and then his numbers took a dive in the second half of the season. The 21-year-old kicked off 2016 with a two-month stretch in which he hit nine home runs, had 24 RBI, 13 walks and a .302 batting average in 169 at-bats.
Not a bad start for a rookie, eh? But he came back to earth, had a bit of a slump in the latter half of the year, and still finished the season with a respectable .266 batting average, 20 home runs and 64 RBI. As he enters his sophomore season, expect to see more greatness from a player the organization is counting on to be a future all-star.
What a successful 2017 season would look like
For the Rangers to make another run deep into October, a lot has to go right. Ace Yu Darvish will have to have a full season of starts in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery (and potentially his last in Texas before hitting free agency). Lefty Cole Hamels, one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball, will have to keep that up and again hit the 200-inning mark for the ninth time with 200 more strikeouts. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy, acquired from Milwaukee last August, will have to provide much-needed consistency behind the plate.
When it comes to offence, Desmond’s departure means Carlos Gomez, the 31-year-old who was released by Houston last year, will need to get his groove back and thrive in centre field and at the plate. So, too, will Sin Soo-Choo, expected to fill the DH role after Carlos Beltran’s exit. And the Rangers will need big seasons from guys like shortstop Elvis Andrus, who had off-season surgery to repair a hernia after posting a team-best .302 batting average last season, and second baseman Rougned Odor, who had a career-high 33 home runs in 2016. A successful year for Odor would also involve not bat-flipping a single, and not punching Jose Bautista in the face.
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Biggest remaining question
It’s the rotation. That’s a funny thing to say about a team with two of the best arms in baseball, in Darvish and Hamels. But health is the big question mark.
Darvish is still recovering from surgery, though he’s introducing a new pitch, and even had improved velocity on his fastball last season. He hasn’t pitched enough innings to qualify for the ERA title since 2013, his second year in the league, due to DL stints. Hamels, meanwhile, is 33, so you have to wonder how that consistent arm is going to hold up. Martin Perez is a solid third option in the rotation, but he, too, had Tommy John surgery in 2015 and has had shoulder problems that have put him on the DL each of the last two seasons. Andrew Cashner was on the DL twice last season, and Tyson Ross, who made just one start last year, will start 2017 on the DL after having surgery in October for thoracic outlet syndrome. Beyond that, A.J. Griffin, Chi Chi Gonzalez and Yohander Mendez are all options.
If the health of these key starters holds up, and aces return to form, this could be a stellar rotation. If not, expect it to look more like a revolving door.
