Injuries Posing Major Problem for Rangers as Opening Day Approaches
It's going to be really hard for the Texas Rangers to repeat as champions if they don't get healthy quickly.
By Thomas Erbe
Vibes were sky-high in Arlington, Texas, when the Rangers won their first World Series championship in franchise history. Fans will never forget the 2023 team for being the first to break through. Winning a championship is hard, but it's even harder to do it twice.
That's what the Rangers will set out to do, as every other team in the league sets out to dethrone them. The best part about baseball is every team has a chance in that any given year. Just last year, the Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series. The Diamondbacks barely snuck into the playoffs on the last weekend of the regular season. They made it all the way to the doorstep.
Re-signing starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery would have helped the Rangers in their quest to repeat. Montgomery is still a free agent and can sign anywhere, but it seems unlikely he will end up back with Texas. But the Rangers spent big money last year to stack this roster with some of the premier names in the league.
Unfortunately, at this point, it only looks good on paper in 2024. The road to repeating will start as tough as ever, given the number of injuries the Rangers already have.
The Rangers Are As Hurt As Any Team In The League Heading Into Opening Day.
The Rangers' woes start with Jacob deGrom, who will be out until at least August. Last year's trade deadline acquisition, Max Scherzer, will also be sidelined until June.
First baseman Nathaniel Lowe will start the year on the IL with an oblique strain, likely out for the first month of regular season play. All-Star Corey Seager and infielder Josh Jung have yet to appear this spring.
Again, with Montgomery unlikely to return, the Rangers will have to count on the rest of their rotation to keep them going until deGrom and Scherzer return. That is on the shoulders of Nathan Eovaldi, Dane Dunning, and Jon Gray.
As for everyone else, find some hits and hang on tight. If the Rangers end up holding the Commissioner's Trophy at the end of October, it would be one the longest, most miraculous roads we've ever seen.
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