The Texas Rangers struggled with injuries and inconsistency in 2025 as the team failed to reach the playoffs for the second straight year. The Rangers moved on from Bruce Bochy after an 81-81 finish, hiring senior advisor Skip Schumaker as the new manager.
The Rangers' front office is also slashing payroll this offseason. The cuts are an attempt to avoid surpassing the luxury tax threshold for a third straight year, which triggers an increase in penalties.
On Friday the Rangers’ desire to cut spending claimed two victims who were both with the team for the World Series run in 2023. Outfielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim were non-tendered by Texas, per the Rangers official X account. They'll now hit the open market as free agents. ‘
Rangers move on from WS champs Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim
Friday marked baseball’s non-tender deadline. Teams were required to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players by 5pm EST. The two sides would then have until February to work out the specifics of the deal to avoid arbitration. Non-tendered players immediately become free agents.
The Rangers attempted to trade Garcia and Heim by the deadline. Texas hoped to get the players off the books and receive prospects in return to help with the rebuild. But the team couldn’t complete a trade so Garcia and Heim – along with right-handed pitchers Josh Sborz and Jacob Webb – were non-tendered.
The move would have been difficult to fathom just two years ago. Both players enjoyed career seasons in 2023, helping Texas claim the only World Series title in franchise history.
Garcia made his second career All-Star Game that season and won a Gold Glove. He belted a career-best 39 home runs with 107 RBI while racking up 4.5 bWAR.
Heim also won a Gold Glove and received an All-Star nod in 2023. He reached personal best marks in home runs (18), RBI (95), runs (61), OPS+ (106) and bWAR (3.1).
Unfortunately both players have struggled since. Heim's OPS+ dropped to 77 in 2025 and he registered just 0.4 bWAR. Garcia also suffered a down year with career lows in home runs, RBI, runs, OPS and OPS+. He did have a strong defensive season, however, which boosted his bWAR to 2.7.
Texas remains an excellent defensive club. The Rangers won the team Gold Glove for 2025. However, defense alone doesn’t win championships.
The organization is now in rebuild mode after reaching the playoffs just once in the last nine years.
