The Texas Rangers have landed some key free agents in recent years, but their history of doing so goes back several decades.
After winning the World Series in 2023, the Rangers have been trying to bolster their roster each year in hopes of becoming top contenders once again for the highly touted title. One of the primary ways to do that is by securing talented free agents, and fortunately for Texas , the ball club has a long history of landing top players.
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However, according to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report , the Rangers have had four free agents stand out in particular, which he named the Mount Rushmore free agent signings.
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Veteran shortstop Corey Seager has become a key player for Texas over the years. Although he kicked off his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers , he signed on with the Rangers as a free agent on Dec. 21, 2021. He is one of the veterans who helped guide the ball club to victory in the 2023 World Series, landing himself MVP honors.
Since joining the franchise, the 31-year-old has slashed .278/.355/.517 with a .872 OPS. In the last four seasons, he has smacked 117 homers and reeled in 303 RBIs through 495 games.
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Infielder Adrin Beltr signed out of Major League Baseball in 2018 after retiring with Texas. Primarily a third baseman, Beltr became known for his elite offensive power at the plate, slashing .304/.357/.509 with a .865 OPS during his eight-year stint with the Rangers. Along the way, he logged 199 homers and 699 RBIs.
Before signing with Texas, he played for the Boston Red Sox for one year, the Seattle Mariners for five years, and the Los Angeles Dodgers for seven years. Rounding out his career, Beltr is ranked the No. 3 third baseman in terms of bWAR at 93.7, trailing just Eddie Matthews at 96.0 and Mike Schmidt at 106.9.
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Hall of Fame starter Nolan Ryan made his MLB debut in 1966 with the New York Mets , followed by time spent with the California Angels and the Houston Astros . However, on Dec. 7, 1988, Ryan signed with the Rangers as a free agent , where he remained until his retirement in 1993.
During his five years with the Texas franchise, he logged a 3.43 ERA and a 1.126 WHIP through 129 starts. His illustrious 27-year career is what sent him to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.
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Rafael Palmeiro's time with the Rangers was broken up into two separate periods. He initially began his professional career with the Chicago Cubs , but on Dec. 5, 1988, the Cubs traded him to Texas alongside Drew Hall and Jamie Moyer in exchange for multiple players. With that, Palmeiro's first season with the Rangers was in 1989.
After five years in the Lone Star State, he was shipped out to the Baltimore Orioles , but ended up signing back with the Rangers as a free agent on Dec. 4, 1998. In total, Palmeiro spent 10 years with the ball club, slashing .290/.378/.519 with a .897 OPS, recording 321 home runs and 1,039 RBIs.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers/onsi as Corey Seager Tops Rangers All-Time Mount Rushmore Free Agent Signings .
