Texas Rangers

This MLB season has already seen a handful of strange injuries and ailments, from Freddie Freeman re-injuring his ankle after slipping in the shower to Cody Bellinger getting food poisoning from chicken wings.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Patrick Corbin added to the list of absurd injuries on Wednesday.

Corbin had trouble walking before his start against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday because of what he and the Rangers believe was "venom" from a bite on his foot two days before, per ESPN.

"They said something bit me, but I still don't know what it was," Corbin told reporters Thursday. "I've never had anything like that. It was super weird."

Manager Bruce Bochy said it was "50/50" whether Corbin would be able to pitch on Wednesday because of swelling and a visible bite mark on his foot.

"He could hardly walk when he came into the clubhouse," Bochy told reporters. "Some kind of venom got in there. Not sure if it was a spider or what."

"It was really bad in the morning," Corbin said. "Just a really swollen foot. ... I wasn't sure if I was going to throw that morning. My wife was really concerned. I came in early [Wednesday] to get some treatment going and [went] from there."

Corbin said the pain was "tolerable" after having his ankle wrapped, and he was able to get on the mound, where he picked up six strikeouts and allowed just five hits and one run in 5.1 innings.

Though Corbin said there was still soreness in his ankle on Thursday, he believes he'll be ready to go for his next start.

Corbin, a 13-year veteran, is in his first season with the Rangers after spending the last six years with the Washington Nationals. In two starts, he has a 3.86 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP, picking up his first win against the Angels on Wednesday.

Fresh off his performance at the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend, LiAngelo Ball's rap career is getting another bump from the sports world.

Kennedi Landry of MLB.com noted Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson is using Ball's single "Tweaker" as his walk-up song.

As if the vibes for Ball's song weren't already high enough, Pederson hit the go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning of Monday's 6-3 spring training win over the Kansas City Royals.

The song has become a viral sensation since being released in January. It made Billboard's Hot 100 chart at No. 29 in its first week with 12.4 million streams.

Ball, whose rap name is Gelo, was featured on NBA All-Star Saturday night when he performed the hit single.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Jan. 11 that Ball signed with Def Jam and Universal Music Group for a deal worth $8 million guaranteed and up to $13 million.

For comparison, only the top five picks in the 2024 NBA draft earn more than $8 million in their rookie season. Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo's brother, earned $8.4 million per season on his rookie contract.

LiAngelo, who went undrafted in 2018, signed Exhibit-9 and Exhibit-10 contracts in his NBA career. The total value of those deals was $2.8 million.

Pederson is setting himself up for a big 2025 now that he has the song of the year (so far) as his walk-up music. He's been playing well in spring training with five homers and a .737 slugging percentage in 38 at-bats over 14 games.

The New York Mets were able to ride the positive vibes of "OMG" all the way to the NLCS last season. Pederson will be hoping Ball's song has the same impact for the Rangers in 2025 after they finished under .500 last season (78-84) trying to defend their 2023 World Series title.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom is ready for the start of the 2025 MLB season after appearing in just nine games over the past two years following elbow surgery.

The 36-year-old's three starts last season were pivotal in shaping his approach to the offseason.

"That way I could treat it like a normal offseason and not feel like I was in rehab mode the whole time," deGrom said Saturday, per the Associated Press. "So that's what this offseason has been, you know, normal throwing. Been off the mound already and everything feels good."

The two-time Cy Young Award winner has already started throwing off the mound in preparation for the season, saying everything feels "normal." Typically waiting until Feb. 1 to start throwing, the veteran chose to ease into spring training at a slower pace, per the Associated Press.

DeGrom underwent a cautious recovery from Tommy John surgery last year after posting a 1.69 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 14:1 K:BB ratio over 10.2 innings in his three starts.

He has three years and $115 million remaining on his contract with the Rangers after signing a five-year, $185 million deal in 2023.

During his nine seasons with the New York Mets, deGrom recorded a 2.52 ERA and a 0.998 WHIP. His return will be significant for the Rangers, who finished 78-84 and third in the AL West last season.

"One of the things I'm most excited about is a healthy season from Jacob, and for our fans to see what that looks like, and how good he is," Texas' president of baseball operations Chris Young said, per the Associated Press. "It's just electric, and coming to the ballpark every day that he's pitching, knowing that we've got a great chance to win the game, it's an exciting feeling. Our fans truly haven't experienced that over the course of a season. We're excited and hopeful that this is the year they get to see that."

With his fastball hitting 98 mph during his final start last season, the veteran was candid about his cautious approach to recovery, considering his age.

"In those games, you know, it's still a thought in the back of your mind, you just came back from a major surgery and you probably don't get another one at my age," deGrom said, according to the Associated Press. "So it was, hey, is everything good? And then like I said, was able to check those boxes off in this offseason, treat it normal."

As he enters his 12th season, deGrom feels much more confident in his recovery.

"Just throw the ball to the target and not think about anything," deGrom said, per Associated Press. "So, yeah, I think I can get back to where I was."

Free-agent outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson has agreed to a deal with the Texas Rangers, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

The 32-year-old Pederson hit 23 home runs to go along with 64 RBI, a .275 batting average and a career-high .908 OPS in 2024. His 151 OPS+ was a career-best mark as well, per Baseball-Reference.

Pederson began his career in 2014 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, playing there through 2020 when he won a World Series with the team. He spent a half-year with the Chicago Cubs after landing with the team in free agency before being traded to Atlanta on July 15, 2021.

Pederson was a huge reason why Atlanta won its first World Series since 1995, notably hitting a pair of home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. He added a much-needed lefty-power bat to the lineup en route to helping guide the Braves to the Fall Classic.

Pederson then left Atlanta for San Francisco in free agency on a one-year deal and delivered the power, smacking 23 home runs alongside an .874 OPS in his second-ever All-Star campaign.

After the 2022 season, Pederson re-signed with the Giants on a one-year, $19,650,000 contract. His 2023 campaign was not as good as 2022, but he still had 15 home runs, 51 RBI and a .764 OPS. Early-season injuries hindered his ceiling and held him to 121 games played.

Pederson stayed in the NL West after the year thanks to a one-year, $9.5 million contract (2025 mutual option) with the then-defending league champs in the Arizona Diamondbacks. Understandably, Pederson declined that option to enter free agency, hoping to parlay his excellent 2024 season into a more lucrative deal.

On Dec. 2, Rosenthal of The Athletic provided an update on Pederson, writing in part.

"Several clubs looking for a left-handed hitting DH are intrigued by Joc Pederson, who in 449 plate appearances for the Arizona Diamondbacks last season hit 23 home runs and produced a career-high .908 OPS.

"The Diamondbacks want Pederson back. The Tampa Bay Rays also could use him, though it's doubtful any free agent with options will choose to play at a minor-league ballpark in the summer Florida heat. The Texas Rangers are a more intriguing fit."

The Rangers were World Series champions in 2023 but faltered in 2024 largely due to a host of injuries and underperformances. They can't hope to recapture that 2023 magic without reloading the team. Enter Pederson, who should slide right into the designated hitter spot and immediately bolster a below-average offense that finished just eighth in the AL in runs.

Veteran pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is returning for a third season with the Texas Rangers.

Eovaldi, who played a key role in the Rangers' 2023 World Series victory, agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract to stay in Texas, according to FanSided's Robert Murray and ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The right-hander previously declined a $20 million vesting option that would have kept him with the Rangers through the 2025 season.

Eovaldi played the last two seasons on a two-year deal worth an average salary of $16 million, with a $2 million signing bonus and other extras including $4.5 million in innings pitched bonuses, per Spotrac.

He had reportedly received free agency interest from the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles before deciding to return to the Rangers.

Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said after Eovaldi declined the vesting option that the Rangers "still have great interest in bringing him back" for another season, leading to the team agreeing to a raise to keep him in Arlington.

Eovaldi made 29 starts in 2024, going 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA as the Rangers finished 78-84 and missed the postseason.

He was the pitcher of record in the Rangers' World Series-clinching Game 5 over the Arizona Diamondbacks, during which he allowed no earned runs in six innings to lead Texas to a 5-0 win.

Keeping Eovaldi in the rotation will help the Rangers brace for the potential free agency losses of Andrew Heaney, who led the team with 31 starts in 2024, as well as three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.

Reliever David Robertson, who declined a mutual option to stay with the Rangers for 2025, and free agent closer Kirby Yates are also hitting free agency this winter.

Eovaldi will join a rotation also staffed by Jacob deGrom, Cody Bradford, Jon Gray and Tayler Mahle. The Rangers will hope to have both deGrom and Mahle for the start of the 2025 season after they were limited in 2024 amid recovery from elbow surgery.

The Rangers' hopes of making it back to the postseason hinge in part on further success from Eovaldi and deGrom, who is locked in through 2027 with a club option for 2028.

Eovaldi has thrown 314 2/3 innings to mark a 24-13 record and 3.72 ERA in 54 appearances over two seasons with the Rangers.

He holds a career ERA of 4.07 after appearing in 13 MLB campaigns with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. He also won a World Series title with the Red Sox in 2018.

The Texas Rangers are expected to make a strong push to retain starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi in free agency.

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, "Re-signing Eovaldi is the Rangers' top priority. The bullpen, with relievers Kirby Yates, David Robertson, José Leclerc and Andrew Chafin all hitting the open market, needs to be reconstructed. And ... Texas wants to add more offense."

Eovaldi, 34, posted a 12-8 record for the Rangers in 2024 with a 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 170.2 innings across 29 starts. It was his most innings and strikeouts since 2021 and arguably a stronger campaign than his 2023 All-Star season with Texas.

While a solid market should develop for Eovaldi, free-agent pitchers like Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty and Sean Manaea are likely to be more coveted by teams around baseball. With Blake Snell and Yusei Kikuchi already off the board, however, teams in need of starting pitching will need to strike early, including the Rangers, who are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 78-84 campaign after 2023's World Series title.

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy's contract is set to expire next winter, but the club would "enthusiastically welcome" his return in 2026, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

"If (Bochy) wants to manage beyond 2025, (the Rangers) are good with that," a source described as "highly ranked" told Olney.

Bochy, 69, is heading into his 28th season as an MLB manager and third in Texas. He joined the Rangers in 2023 after 12 seasons with the San Diego Padres and 13 with the San Francisco Giants.

Olney's story comes the day after reports that the Rangers hired former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker to serve as "a senior adviser" to president of baseball ops Chris Young.

Will Venable, who served as associate manager to Bochy for two seasons, recently left to manage the Chicago White Sox. MLB.com's Kennedi Landry noted that Schumaker could now replace Venable as the "heir apparent" to Bochy.

Olney meanwhile reported that the Rangers see Schumaker, who was named the NL Manager of the Year after leading the Marlins to the postseason in 2023, as a "rising star in the managerial ranks."

Bochy and the Rangers just finished out a tough 78-84 season during which the Rangers stayed at .500 or below starting in May and the offensive stars that led the club to the 2023 title badly regressed.

Bochy said at the season's end that he was "still hungry to get back."

"Yeah, I'm disappointed, just like all of us. That's why I got back in the game," Bochy said in October. "That's what drives me. It's still there, and that's where I'm at right now."

Bochy concluded: "We're working to get this thing back to where we want to be, and that's getting back to the postseason and winning the championship."

When asked about his contract situation, Bochy answered, "It couldn't have worked out better. We've talked about my situation, believe me, and this is where I will end up."

Bochy retired after 13 seasons with the Giants in 2019 but returned to managing in 2022 after inking a three-year deal with the Rangers. He went on to lead Texas to the franchise's first World Series title in his first season with the team, and will now be tasked with getting the Rangers back into the postseason picture next fall.

Also having won a trio of championships with the Giants between 2010 and 2014, Bochy is one of four managers to claim at least four World Series titles. He leads all active managers with 2,171 regular season wins and is widely considered to be a candidate to become the 24th manager in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Texas Rangers have reportedly hired former Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker to serve as an advisor for president of baseball operations Chris Young, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

The team is also "expected to finalize" a deal with former Marlins' bench coach Luis Urueta to serve in the same role under Bruce Bochy.

Schumaker, 44, led the Marlins to a surprising playoff berth in the 2023 season, going 84-78, though the team was swept in the Wild Card Round by the Philadelphia Phillies. Nonetheless, the young Marlins were seen as one of the up-and-coming teams in the sport.

That quickly shifted in 2024. The team went just 62-100, fired numerous members of the front office—including assistant general managers Oz Ocampo and Dan Greenlee and international scouting director Roman Ocumarez— in August, parted ways with Schumaker and his entire coaching staff in late September and in total let go of over 70 staffers.

It was part of a stark organization upheaval under Peter Bendix, the team's first-year president of baseball operations. The Marlins have yet to hire a Schumaker replacement.

As for the Rangers, the team is coming off its own disappointing season in 2024. After winning the World Series in 2023, the Rangers failed to make the postseason this past season, finishing 78-84.

A combination of injuries to key players and a number of players regressing from strong 2023 campaigns (Adolis García, Jonah Heim, Marcus Semien) contributed to a disappointing overall effort.

"We're not that far away," Bochy told reporters after the season. "No, I don't think it's an overhaul. We've got a great core here. We just had to deal with some things this year that we couldn't quite overcome. Every season takes on a life of its own, and this one did. Not just the injuries we had and all that, but our play, too. It wasn't quite as good."

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi declined his $20 million player option for the 2025 season on Monday, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News.

Per Grant, Rangers general manager Chris Young says the team still has "great interest" in retaining Eovaldi.

The 34-year-old joined Texas as a free agent in Dec. 2022, signing a two-year contract worth $34 million along with the vested player option. He made the second All-Star appearance of his career in 2023 with the Rangers.

In two seasons with the Rangers, Eovaldi finished with a 24-13 record to go along with a 3.72 ERA. He recorded 298 strikeouts compared to 89 walks in 314.2 innings on the mound.

Eovaldi played a crucial role in the Rangers' 2023 World Series victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, throwing six scoreless innings during a 5-0 win in Game 5 that allowed Texas to close out the series.

Young hasn't been shy about his interest in retaining the veteran, listing him alongside impending free agent Andrew Heaney as offseason priorities on Oct. 1.

"As far as Evo and Andrew go, those are priorities for us," Young said, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. "We love those guys. They helped us win a World Series. We would love to bring those guys back, and we're going to explore every way we can to make that happen."

With both of Eovaldi's All-Star appearances occurring within the past four seasons as well as his recent postseason success, there shouldn't a a shortage of potentially interested teams in free agency.

MLB.com's John Denton reported that the St. Louis Cardinals targeted the right-hander at the trade deadline. The Cardinals may be interested in him once again as a free agent.

After declining his 2025 option on Monday, Eovaldi could experience a change of scenery despite the Rangers' desire for a return.