How the Texas Rangers roster and lineup could look different in the final month of the season

ARLINGTON — The traditional rankings, expected stats and postseason projections are in. The Jack Leiter Barometer is here.

It’s simple: When Leiter, the Texas Rangers’ most promising prospect according to MLB Pipeline, made three spot starts in the first half of the season, that was it. Up, down, down. The reigning champions were in no position at that point to give a young player time to get their bearings in the gym if he wasn’t completely ready for a full-time role.

The ladderometer indicated at the time that the Rangers were among the contenders.

And now?

“We are now in a completely different situation than at the beginning of the year, when he [spot] “We didn’t have the luxury of giving him – or any other player – that much leeway at that point. Now we have him, we can really set our goals and push them to 2025.”

The ladderometer now suggests it’s time to try something new. The same goes for the standings and stats. The Rangers entered Friday’s game against the Oakland Athletics nine games behind in the American League West and had just a 0.3% chance of reaching the postseason, according to FanGraphs. Their 9-2 loss to Oakland and the Astros’ win over the Royals widened the gap to 10.5 games.

This means turning to the future rather than the present. And with it comes the need for the Rangers to familiarise themselves with it in different ways.

“I think playing time might shift a little bit,” Young said. “Maybe there are some guys who haven’t had as much playing time. They might get more opportunities to hit and see other positions they haven’t played — or haven’t played regularly.”

This is what it could look like.

More playing time for Ezequiel Duran: Because, frankly, he hasn’t gotten much of it. Duran entered Friday’s game against Oakland with 203 at-bats this season, which is exactly half the number of at-bats he got last year (406) and less than the 208 at-bats he got two years ago. Since the All-Star break, he’s gotten just 26 at-bats and posted a slash line of .192/.222/.192.

“I’d like to get him in there more than he’s played so far,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Friday. “It wasn’t the year he had last year. I’d like to give him more at-bats. [so we can] look at it again.”

The 25-year-old showed how valuable he could be last season when he filled in for the injured Corey Seager, posting a .308/.344/.526 slash line with 12 home runs in the first half. He hasn’t repeated it since. He also hasn’t gotten consistent playing time as the infield was already crowded. A September with relatively little at stake offers an opportunity to better figure out what exactly the Rangers have in their young all-around player.

Major League Representatives for Managers: Aside from Jacob deGrom’s expected return, this could be the most exciting (and, by and large, influential) storyline left to follow this season, barring a historic and unexpected comeback. Leiter, who made his best major league start yet against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday and returned to the minor leagues shortly afterward, is expected to return to the Rangers on Sunday when the roster expands from 26 to 28 players.

Bochy said Friday that Leiter is being considered for a chance to face the New York Yankees on Monday, giving the former second-round draft pick about five starts in September before the regular season ends.

“He needs some consistent major league starts,” Young said. “We’re looking forward to him getting that in September. He’s got to develop a routine, get his work done between starts here at the major league level, get familiar with the catchers, the processes, the systems, the scouting report, the travel. All the things you just can’t account for in Triple-A.”

Wyatt Langford in midfield: The 22-year-old has started just nine games at the position this season, spending most of his time in left field (75 games) and as a designated hitter (26 games). Bochy acknowledged Sunday in Cleveland that Langford has a good profile for center field and has what it takes to be successful at the position.

What he lacks: experience.

Langford was only playing full-time in the outfield in his second year at Florida, and has been active primarily in left field since the Rangers drafted him with the fourth overall pick last year. The Rangers’ outfield could be in subtle flux: Evan Carter’s rookie season ended prematurely after 38 games, limiting his development into a starter; Leody Taveras has not yet made the leap Texas hoped he would, raising questions about his future in center field; and Adolis García has regressed in right field.

If the focus in the final month of this season is on the future, working on a better understanding of Langford’s long-term defensive position should be part of it.

Upcoming appointments: Major League rosters will expand on Sunday, and the Rangers — if either Travis Jankowski or Robbie Grossman are claimed off the waivers list — could potentially have more than just two roster spots to fill.

Young said Friday that the club has not yet decided who else will be promoted on Sunday, although the list of legitimate candidates is relatively obvious and short: Leiter, outfielder Dustin Harris, infielder Justin Foscue and right-handed pitcher Owen White.

Young acknowledged that right-hander Kumar Rocker has made “tremendous progress” since returning from Tommy John surgery, but said any notion that he will pitch in the major leagues this season is “too far-fetched” considering his first start in Triple-A. He said the club is “pleased with the workload and what he’s accomplished” considering the number of innings right-hander Emiliano Teodo (the organization’s No. 6 prospect) has thrown this season in Double-A Frisco. The same goes for right-hander Winston Santos, the club’s No. 8 prospect, who has pitched 100⅓ innings in High-A Hickory and Double-A.

“I think part of having a great 2025 will be learning more about our young people,” Young said, “and making sure they are ready to contribute next year.”

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