Texas Rangers

The 2024 MLB Home Run Derby is set, as Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández committed to the event on Wednesday.

García and Hernández join New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez, Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna in the field.

García will be representing the Rangers for the second straight year as Texas plays host to this year's Midsummer Classic. He was eliminated in the first round of competition in last year's Derby by Randy Arozarena.

The 31-year-old is slumping as we head into the All-Star break, hitting below the .200 mark for the third straight month while striking out at an alarming rate. He's hitting .215/.279/.696 with 17 home runs and 45 runs batted in overall on the season but failed to make the AL All-Star team amid his struggles of late.

Hernández, meanwhile, is hitting .257/.319/.480 with 19 home runs and 60 RBI in 90 appearances this season. In his first season with the Dodgers, the 31-year-old was named an All-Star for the second time in his career. Hernández has also won two Silver Slugger awards.

The Derby will undergo yet another format change this year. In the first round of the tournament, all eight players will compete individually rather than in head-to-head competition. The top four players from the first round will then move on to the semifinals, with the top scorer from the first round taking on the No. 4 scorer and Nos. 2 and 3 going head-to-head.

Batters will have three minutes or 40 pitches in the first two rounds. In the finals, batters will be limited to two minutes or 27 pitches.

The Texas Rangers have struggled so far this season on the heels of winning the 2023 World Series, and that reportedly could lead to a pitching fire sale of sorts as the July 30 MLB trade deadline approaches.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, rival general managers believe the Rangers will make starting pitchers Max Scherzer, Michael Lorenzen and Andrew Heaney, and relievers David Robertson and Kirby Yates available for trade prior to the deadline, barring a "dramatic turnaround."

Texas owns a disappointing 41-48 record thus far, placing it third in the American League West, seven games behind the division-leading Seattle Mariners.

The Rangers are also 7.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the AL, meaning they have an uphill climb in terms of getting back into playoff contention.

Of the Rangers pitchers rumored to potentially be available for trade, Scherzer, Lorenzen, Heaney and Yates can all become free agents at the end of the season, while there is a mutual option in Robertson's contract for 2025.

Scherzer, who will turn 40 on July 27, is the biggest name who may be on the trading block for Texas.

Over the course of 17 MLB seasons, Scherzer is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series champion. He also owns a career record of 215-110 with a 3.14 ERA, marking him a likely future Hall of Famer.

Scherzer's 2024 season got off to a late start due to back, thumb and nerve issues, but he has looked good in three starts since his return, going 1-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 16.2 innings.

The biggest potential stumbling block standing in the way of a Scherzer trade is the fact that he has a full no-trade clause and can veto any deal if he so chooses.

Aside from Scherzer, contending teams could have interest in Lorenzen and Heaney as mid-to-back-end starters.

Lorenzen, 32, was named an All-Star for the first time last season, and so far this season he is 5-4 with a 3.21 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 87 innings.

The 33-year-old Heaney is only 3-9 this season, but he boasts a solid 3.80 ERA and has struck out 92 batters in 90 innings.

Yates and Robertson have been two of the best and most consistent pieces in the Texas bullpen this season, and both veterans undoubtedly figure to have a robust market for their services.

The 37-year-old Yates has enjoyed a career resurgence this season, going 3-1 with a 0.86 ERA and converting all 13 of his save chances.

Robertson, 39, has a ton of closing experience in his own right, including serving as the New York Mets' primary closer last season, but he has mostly been a setup man in 2024, going 2-3 with a 3.13 ERA.

It can be argued that few teams have as many quality trade chips to offer as the Rangers, but their availability may depend on how the team plays over the next few weeks.

Texas Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford achieved a historic feat on Sunday.

The 22-year-old left fielder hit for the cycle in the Rangers' matchup with the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the first Rangers rookie to do so since 1985.

After flying out in his first at-bat in the second inning, he recorded a triple in the fourth inning and hit a double in the fifth inning. He legged out an infield single in the sixth inning before securing the cycle in the eighth inning with a three-run homer.

Langford has played just 59 games in the majors so far, notching three homers and 31 RBI coming into Sunday's game. He's still looking to hit his stride, and Sunday's performance will certainly help him do that.

Langford has wasted no time making his way to the majors after spending three seasons at Florida. A first-round draft pick by the Rangers in 2023, he made the team's Opening Day roster this season and has become a regular in the lineup.

After winning the World Series last season, Texas has struggled through the first half of the season, sitting at 37-46 on the year coming into Sunday's game. The Rangers had also lost six straight games before Sunday's win against the Orioles.

Perhaps Langford's exciting cycle performance will give the Rangers some energy heading into the rest of the season.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer is set to make his season debut on Sunday, and fellow starting pitcher Jacob deGrom is reportedly expected to return to the mound in August, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

"Welcome back Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, who is scheduled to make his season debut Sunday for the Texas Rangers," Nightengale wrote. "Fellow Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom is expected to join him in August."

In his first season with the Rangers a year ago, deGrom played just six games after suffering a torn UCL. He underwent successful surgery last June and has been rehabbing since. Last week, deGrom threw off the mound for the first time since the surgery.

In six appearances last season, deGrom went 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA and had 45 strikeouts across 30.1 innings pitched.

Scherzer underwent back surgery in December and has been rehabbing in the minors in the early parts of the season. He'll make his season debut against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner joined the Rangers from the New York Mets in a trade deadline acquisition last July. In eight appearances, he had 53 strikeouts, a 3.20 ERA and a 4-2 record.

With Scherzer debuting Sunday and deGrom nearing a return as well, Texas is looking to pick up some momentum heading into the second half of the season as it looks to make another World Series run.

Max Scherzer will make his return to the mound on Sunday.

Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reported that the Texas Rangers pitcher will be making his season debut on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.

The 39-year-old has not pitched since the 2023 World Series after undergoing back surgery in December. His progress has been slowed due to thumb soreness and a nerve issue.

He was acquired midseason in 2023 by the Rangers after signing with the New York Mets ahead of the 2022 season. He went 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA after the trade and he made three postseason starts, going 2-1 and earning a clutch Game 7 victory over the Houston Astros in the ALCS that helped the Rangers eventually capture the first championship in franchise history.

He is playing on a player option for the 2024 season and will hit unrestricted free agency following the season. He will certainly be a welcome addition to the Rangers' rotation for the rest of this season.

Texas has a team ERA of 4.12, which ranks 19th in MLB. Michael Lorenzen, Nathan Eovaldi and Dane Dunning currently lead the team in wins at four. Texas is currently 35-40 and sits in third place in the AL West.

Scherzer's first start of the season will begin at 2:35 P.M. ET. at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.

After his stint with the Miami Marlins in 2023, veteran pitcher Johnny Cueto has found a new home.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Tuesday that Cueto has signed with the Texas Rangers. Robert Murray of Fansided reported that the right-handed hurler received a minor-league contract.

Cueto spent the entire winter and the start of the 2024 season as a free agent. He is hoping that his deal with Texas will give him a chance at a 17th major league season.

Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported that Cueto chose the defending World Series champion Rangers because he wants to pitch for a contender and because of his close relationship with manager Bruce Bochy. The two of them spent four seasons together with the San Francisco Giants.

It was just two years ago that Cueto finished the 2022 season while pitching for the Chicago White Sox with a 3.35 ERA, his lowest since 2018. However, his one-year run with the Marlins didn't go as well.

In his first start with Miami last season, Cueto suffered a right biceps injury that caused him to be placed on the injured list. He suffered a sprained left ankle during a rehab assignment and remained sidelined until July 10. In all, he made 13 appearances for the Marlins with 10 starts in 2023 and finished with a 6.02 ERA in 52.1 innings of work.

The Rangers are off to a 12-11 start this season, which is good enough for first place in the AL West entering Tuesday's series opener against the Seattle Mariners (11-11). However, the team's collective 4.19 ERA ranks 22nd in MLB, so it could use a veteran starter like Cueto if he's able to stay healthy.

The Texans Rangers called up starting pitcher Jack Leiter on Tuesday, setting the stage for him to make his MLB debut Thursday against the Detroit Tigers.

Leiter was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft out of Vanderbilt. The son of former MLB pitcher Al Leiter, Jack struggled early in his pro career before making mechanical tweaks that have seemingly paid off.

The 23-year-old has struck out 25 batters in 14.1 innings pitched this season at Triple-A Round Rock.

"Jack's done great," general manager Chris Young said. "He had a great spring and our expectation is if Jack continues to trend the way he has, he will help us out. The best thing for Jack's development is likely to continue the success in Triple-A for a period of time. He's in consideration based on how he's performed to help us at any point should somebody go down or should somebody underperform or he performed to a level that warrants consideration."

The Rangers placed Cody Bradford on the 15-day injured list earlier this week. Bradford was off to a stellar 3-0 start to the 2024 season, leaving a notable gap in the Texas rotation. The Rangers are already without veteran starters Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom due to injuries.

Leiter will be getting a favorable matchup for his first MLB start. The Tigers rank 12th in the American League in runs scored and have scored more than five runs in a game just three times so far this season.

Ahead of their second game of the season, the Texas Rangers unveiled their 2023 World Series rings.

The team posted a video and images showcasing the ring from the franchise's first championship after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Fall Classic.

Among the many intricate details that went into crafting the ring are 359 stones and diamond points, a piece of a baseball that was used in the 2023 World Series and a removable top that reveals the team's 11-0 road record in the postseason.

The word "road" is spelled with the first two letters written to resemble the logos for the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles, who the Rangers defeated in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

It turned out to be fortuitous that the other teams the Rangers beat were the Astros and Diamondbacks. The only bummer is the Astros and Diamondbacks don't also have logos that incorporate their nicknames. The Diamondbacks' old logo used to feature a snake curled around so it looked like a D, but the franchise did away with it in 2016.

Per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Jason of Beverly Hills designed the rings. The company previously designed championship rings for the NFL, NBA and NHL, but this was its first World Series creation.

Jason Arasheben, CEO Jason of Beverly Hills, issued a statement about the ring's design included in Grant's story:

"There was a lot of pressure when designing this ring, not just because it was a first for the Rangers, but because it is also our very first World Series Ring. We're honored the Rangers partnered with us for this moment and I'm proud of my team for hitting it out of the park with the design and setting a new standard for what rings should be for a World Series champion."

The value of the ring was not specified. Most recently, Ronnie Marley of Fox 26 in Houston noted the Astros' 2022 World Series ring was valued at more than $15,000.

While fans won't be able to get a standard ring, the Rangers' 2024 promotional schedule does include five player-specific World Series replica ring giveaways. The first one is for Corey Seager on May 14, followed by Marcus Semien on June 4, Adolis García on July 23 and Nathan Eovaldi on Aug. 15.

The final giveaway will be on Sept. 22, and it will be a mystery ring from one of the four players mentioned.

Grant noted all ring giveaways will be limited to the first 15,000 fans.

The Texas Rangers placed Max Scherzer on the 15-day injured list following December surgery on a herniated disk rather than the 60-day injured list, fueling hope that he might be able to return sooner this season than initially suspected.

"It's kind of early February for me right now," he told reporters Thursday regarding where he would be in his prep work during a normal offseason. "Just have to come in and continue to do the rehab, do the process, and hopefully I'm back out there sooner than later."

Scherzer, 39, worked two innings in a Tuesday bullpen session, saying his "body felt good the next day, so that was a big check mark for me."

But there's still plenty of work to be done.

"It's one thing to throw a bullpen," he noted. "It's another thing to get into a game, then you start to ramp up pitch count. So there's still a number of hurdles to cross."

When the Rangers eventually get Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle back from injury, the team will have one of the nastier rotations in baseball, even with last year's ALCS hero, Jordan Montgomery, departing for the Arizona Diamondbacks in free agency.

Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young winner, two-time World Series champion and eight-time All-Star, pitched well for the Rangers after being acquired in a midseason trade with the New York Mets, going 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA and 0.95 WHIP across eight starts.

But a strained right teres major muscle ended his regular season. And while Scherzer returned in the ALCS against the Houston Astros and made two starts, he was pulled after just three innings in Game 3 of the World Series due to back issues and didn't return.

Given his age, it's fair to question if injuries will become a more regular concern for Scherzer going forward. Outside a tough stretch with the Mets last season by his own lofty standards (4.01 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 19 starts), however, he's shown little sign of decline when healthy.

Looking to solidify their rotation depth going into the 2024 MLB season, the Texas Rangers are adding Michael Lorenzen.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the reigning World Series champs have agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with Lorenzen.

The contract includes $2.5 million in incentives that can push the total value up to $7 million.

The addition of Lorenzen is more interesting for what it might say about the Rangers' involvement in the Jordan Montgomery sweepstakes.

Montgomery is the last of the top free-agent players available this offseason. The market for a lot of them didn't materialize in the way they were likely hoping for. Blake Snell, the 2023 NL Cy Young winner, signed a two-year, $62 million deal with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

After being acquired in a midseason trade with the St. Louis Cardinals last season, Montgomery played a huge role for the Rangers during their playoff run. He had a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings over six postseason appearances.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network recently noted that Montgomery is "believed to want to return" to Texas. The Cardinals, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs were also cited as teams that have had at least some level of interest in the 31-year-old, but it's unclear if anything is close for him right now.

The addition of Lorenzen doesn't necessarily preclude the Rangers from bringing Montgomery back. He's not making much money and doesn't have a strong track record of success to make Texas feel confident he can hold down a rotation spot all season.

Lorenzen did have a highlight moment in 2023 when he tossed a no-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies. The right-hander finished the season with a 4.18 ERA in 153 innings over 29 appearances between the Phillies and Detroit Tigers.

This move does afford manager Bruce Bochy more options in 2024. Lorenzen can start or pitch out of the bullpen in either short stints or as a long reliever, depending on the situation.

In nine MLB seasons with four different teams, Lorenzen owns a 4.11 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 342 appearances.