9 Rangers Who Won't Return for a Repeat World Series Run in 2024
6. Ian Kennedy
Once upon a time, Ian Kennedy looked poised to become one of the MLB's top arms. A 2011 campaign that saw him finish fourth and 14th in AL Cy Young and MVP voting, respectively, was just too impressive to ignore — especially at the age of 26.
But that was as high as Kennedy's career got. He struggled to find a spot in every rotation he joined, changing teams six times since first leaving the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013.
After being a Ranger back in 2021, Kennedy made his way back to Texas when he signed a minor-league contract in January. Things didn't go as planned for the start-turned-reliever, going 0-1 with a 7.16 ERA across 16 relief appearances before a rotator cuff strain ended his season in September.
Now a free agent, I don't see the Rangers taking another shot on the 38-year-old. Kennedy is who he is at this point and does very little to contribute to a winning culture. With his career likely wrapping up soon (maybe as early as this winter), there's no reason why he should be back in 2024.