The Texas Rangers are fresh off a World Series championship. The ball club is looking to find more success in 2024 and build a dynasty. Texas is dealing with some injury concerns at the moment, but their 2024 outlook is promising as spring training gets underway.
So what does the 2024 campaign hold for this team? Here are three bold Rangers predictions for the 2024 season.
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Jose Leclerc leads American League in saves
This prediction is especially bold since manager Bruce Bochy has yet to officially name a closer, via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
“There is no pecking order,” Bochy said. “But I think when we leave here, we will have a guy who will get closing opportunities. We’d like to think we will have a little more stability.”
Leclerc will have an opportunity to claim the role in spring training. He appears to be the favorite as well.
Leclerc, 30, has spent his entire big league career with the Rangers. He has closing experience and features a high-ceiling. Leclerc has recorded just 11 total saves over the past two years, but he's been quite reliable in the Rangers' bullpen.
In 2022, Leclerc finished with a 2.83 ERA across 39 appearances. He was even better in 2023, pitching to a 2.68 ERA in 57 games. There is no denying the fact that Leclerc has the ability to pitch in the 9th inning on a consistent basis.
He will have plenty of save opportunities assuming Bochy names Leclerc as the closer. The Rangers' offense is going to score runs and Texas will need their bullpen to hold leads throughout the season. Leclerc has a tremendous chance to emerge as a star in 2024.
Jacob deGrom returns mid-season and dominates the competition
Some people around the MLB world may expect Jacob deGrom to require time to shake off the rust once he returns this summer. The Rangers are hoping that the two-time Cy Young winner can return in August at the latest.
Rangers general manager Chris Young recently provided an update on deGrom's status, via Kennedi Landry of MLB.com.
“He (deGrom) started his normal catch progression, that's part of the standard rehab for Tommy John,” Young said. “I don't know the exact distance or number of throws, but it was a great day. Jacob said he felt great. The training staff said he looked great and I think, medically, everything has been on track and is checking out, so we're very excited.
“That's a big step for him. It's a long way to go, but picking up the baseball and playing catch for the first time is significant, and it's a major hurdle that we've cleared. There’s many more to come, but we're on the right path here.”
Health has been deGrom's only concern over the past few years. When deGrom has been on the mound, he's been nothing short of dominant. He was excellent to begin the 2023 campaign after signing with Texas last offseason, pitching to a stellar 2.67 ERA across six games pitched.
An elbow injury led to deGrom having to undergo Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his season. The Rangers will miss deGrom to open the new campaign, but he should be able to return ahead of the stretch run.
The Rangers should be in a good position to compete for a playoff spot and deGrom will provide a crucial spark once he re-joins the rotation. The bold prediction here is that deGrom will immediately make a pivotal impact and perform at an elite level down the stretch.
Corey Seager wins the American League MVP
Corey Seager finished second in AL MVP voting a season ago, trailing only superstar Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani is now in the National League, however, so the MVP door is open.
It should be noted that Seager is currently battling a sports hernia. The Rangers star shortstop provided an update on the injury on Monday, via Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today.
“Corey Seager (sports hernia) just met with the media. He's doing some incline walking and stationary bike. He's hopes to be ready for Opening Day, but isn't sure,” Wilson wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Rangers would obviously love for Seager to be ready for Opening Day. Even if he's not, though, Seager will still have a chance to win the AL MVP.
Seager dealt with injury trouble in 2023 and appeared in just 119 games. Yet, as aforementioned, he still managed to finish second in MVP voting.
Seager ended up slashing an incredible .327/.390/.623/1.013 during the '23 campaign. He added 33 home runs, 96 RBI, and a league-leading 42 doubles.
In all reality, Seager has been one of the most consistent performers in the sport throughout his career. When healthy, all he does is hit. He's slashing .292/.361/.512/.873 for his entire career.
Again, both Seager and the Rangers are hopeful that he can be in Texas' Opening Day lineup. But his Opening Day status won't play a role in his MVP odds. As long as Seager doesn't miss too much time, he will find himself in the MVP conversation.
And I'm predicting that he will win his first MVP award this year.
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