Texas Rangers: Best Players All-Time to Wear Numbers 30-39
By Cody Smith
Continuing on with the current series, we will now take a look at the best players to ever wear a number in the 30’s for the Texas Rangers.
Over the past few weeks we’ve been reviewing the best all-time Texas Rangers to wear their respective numbers. We started at zero and made our way up the list.
Picking up again where we left off last week, where we ranked the best Texas Rangers players to wear numbers in the 20’s, we will look at the best Rangers players to wear a number in the 30’s.
#30-Neftali Feliz (2009-15)
Feliz had an interesting Texas Rangers career. He quickly blossomed into one of the best closers in baseball by 2011, as he was a stalwart in the Rangers bullpen during their two World Series runs. He rapidly amassed 72 saves in his first two full seasons with the Rangers, and had 93 over the course of his career with the team. Then the Rangers made the questionable move to move Feliz to the rotation, where he did well, but ultimately had injuries add up, and he was never really the same after that.
#31-Fergie Jenkins (1974-81)
Jenkins came to the Rangers as a 31 year old, and had a wonderful run with the team. He posted a 3.56 ERA while with the team, even leading the MLB in complete games in 1974. In addition to that he also posted two top-six Cy Young finishes, and a top-five MVP finish while with the team, and a 21.8 WAR.
#32-Josh Hamilton (2008-12, 2015)
Hamilton, despite his off-field issues, was arguably the most talented player to ever step on the field for the Texas Rangers. In his first five year run with the team, he hit .305 with 142 home runs, while making the All-Star team every season, finishing in the top-7 in the MVP voting three times, winning it once, and having another finish at 22nd, and won three Silver Slugger awards. In 697 games with the team, Hamilton had a WAR of 23.
#33-Cliff Lee (2010)
Perhaps the most impactful half-season stint of any player in club history, Cliff Lee helped propel the Texas Rangers to their first division title in over a decade, and the teams first ever World Series appearance as their ace. Acquired by the Rangers for Justin Smoak and some guys you’ve probably never heard of, Lee posted a 3.98 ERA in 15 regular season starts, and was an All-Star that finished 7th in the Cy Young voting. He was terrific the first two rounds in the playoffs, posted a 3-0 record, and only allowed two runs in his first 24 innings.
#34-Nolan Ryan (1989-93)
Nolan Ryan had a very memorable Texas Rangers career, pitching well into his 40’s while with the team, and made an All-Star team, finished in the top 25 in Cy Young voting twice, and finished 23rd in MVP voting once. He also led baseball in strikeouts during his first two years with the team, and eventually went into the Hall of Fame with the Rangers cap on his head.
#35-Cole Hamels (2015-18)
Cole Hamels was an extremely important part of the Rangers return to relevance after a disappointing 2014 season, and struggles during the 2015 season, but his addition, along with Jake Diekman, brought stability to the rotation, and helped the Texas Rangers charge ahead to win the division back to back years. Hamels also made an All-Star team with the Rangers during his first full season, and posted a career 38-21 record with a 3.90 ERA.
#36-Gaylord Perry (1975-77, 1980)
Perry had a terrific career with the Texas Rangers, although it was very brief during his two stints. He went 48-43 with a 3.26 ERA, and posted a 15.5 WAR while with the Rangers. What is even more impressive is that he did most of his work with the Texas Rangers when he was in his mid to late 30’s, and early 40’s. After his career, he would then be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
#37-Kenny Rogers (1989-95, 2000-02, 2004-05)
Rogers had three different stints with the Texas Rangers, spending a total of 12 years with the team. During his Rangers career, he posted a 133-96 record with a 4.16 ERA. He also made three All-Star teams, and received four Gold Gloves, all of which were during his last five years with the team, and posted a WAR of 31.2.
#38-Danny Santana (2019-present)
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Santana seemingly came out of no where for the Rangers last season, and looks like he is going to play a big role for the team when the 2020 season eventually happens. This is a relatively weak number, and no other players really caught my eye as more deserving than Santana, who posted a WAR of 2 last season, hitting .283 with 28 home runs in 130 games, having a terrific comeback season after some brutal years.
#39-Scott Feldman (2005-12)
Feldman was picked for similar reasons as Danny Santana, as there were not really any great players to wear the number for Texas. During his time with the team, he went 39-44 with a 4.81 ERA, and played a big part in the 2011 World Series run for the Rangers, coming out of the bullpen throughout the playoffs with a 3.29 ERA.
Did we miss anyone?