Rangers ‘Favorite’ To Sign Top Closer

The Texas Rangers are now considered the “heavy favorite” to sign the top closer on the free-agent market. On Sunday, USA Today reported that the Philadelphia Phillies, one of the teams rumored to be pursuing San Diego Padres free-agent closer Josh Hader, had “shown little appetite” to try and sign him. Then, on Sunday, the Phillies and starter Aaron Nola — a pitcher some had connected to the Rangers in free agency — agreed to a seven-year, $172 million deal. So, now, a path may be clear for the Rangers to address their biggest need as they gear up for their World Series title defense in 2024 — closer.

The Rangers should be prepared to pay. Reportedly, Hader and his agent are seeking to beat the five-year, $102 million deal that New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz signed last offseason. But the Rangers would be getting one of the most reliable ninth-inning arms in the game and one who won’t turn 30 until next April. Hader turned into a bullpen star in 2018, when he became an All-Star for the first time, going 6-1 with a 2.43 ERA and racked up 12 saves. Since then, Hader has gone to four more All-Star Games, including 2023, and has gone 20-21 with a 2.50 ERA and 165 saves.

The Rangers were 27th in MLB with 30 saves. Worse, the Rangers had 63 opportunities. They had more blown saves than saves in 2023, and they not only became the first team to make the playoffs converting fewer than 50 percent of save opportunities, they also won the World Series. The Rangers picked up José Leclerc’s contract option for 2024, but he only had four regular-season saves. Their saves leader, Will Smith, is a free agent. He had 22. The Rangers aren’t set in their starting rotation, but they have a good start with pitchers under contract in Max Scherzer, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning. Jacob deGrom might be back at some point in 2024 from Tommy John surgery. The Rangers hope to re-sign Jordan Montgomery. By getting Hader, he could give the Rangers rotation, any way it looks, a lot of security in 2024.