The Texas Rangers met with free-agent third baseman Anthony Rendon in Houston on Sunday.

Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that no contract offer was made at the pitch:

According to three major league sources, Daniels headed a contingent of Rangers officials who met face-to-face with free agent third baseman Anthony Rendon and his representative Scott Boras in Houston Sunday. While no contract offer was made, according to the sources, the Rangers were there to make a presentation indicating their interest in the top position player on the free agent market.

As Grant notes in the article, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels indicated that the team would be willing to spend and make a play for the top free agents on the market.

Texas has promising young talent like Joey Gallo and Danny Santana, and starters Mike Minor and Lance Lynn are coming off breakout seasons in which they both ranked in the top three in bWAR.

The Rangers are also hoping to see a revenue boost from the opening of their new stadium this spring. Adding the best hitter on the market surely would not hurt much, either.

Rendon finished third in National League MVP voting after a year in which he slashed .319/.412/.598 with 34 homers and a league-leading 126 RBIs.

USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale reports that the Rangers are actually the favorite to sign Rendon:

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Fittingly enough, the Rangers have success signing marquee third basemen. They inked veteran Adrian Beltre to a deal in 2011 and watched him produce some of the best years of his career.

Can they utilize this magic to sign Rendon? Will the hometown proximity be enough of an allure? Can Rangers brass convince him that they are close to becoming winners?

Rendon might be one of the biggest question marks in terms of his contractual desires (both years and money), but the Rangers are hoping to bring him to Arlington.