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Who Will Close Games for Texas Rangers This Season?
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- Who Will Close Games for Texas Rangers This Season?
As the Texas Rangers get ready for this season at Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona, manager Skip Schumaker has some decisions to make.
Their not just around who will make up Schumaker's lineup card on a regular basis, either. He's going to need to find a pitcher he can trust to come in and close ballgames.
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Of course, any Rangers fan wants to see the ballclub in a situation where a high-leverage closer comes in and seals the deal on a victory.
Schumaker, who took over for Bruce Bochy this season, knows that making this decision now can go a long way toward setting up success in the 2026 MLB season.
Who, though, will get the nod from Schumaker? Recently, Rangers beat reporter Kennedi Landry for MLB.com took a look at three different options.
Chris Martin put together a 2.98 ERA in 49 appearances for the Rangers in 2025. But he did spend time on the Injured List in the second half of last season, Landry pointed out. Martin was 2-for-5 in save opportunities, too, last season as well.
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Landry also pointed out that Martin has a ton of MLB experience in his back pocket. That might lean heavily toward Schumaker picking him. Can Martin stay healthy all season long in 2026? That's going to be a big question for Schumaker to look at if he makes Martin his closer.
Robert Garcia is one guy who has said that he wants to be the Rangers' closer. Does he bring enough mettle into the position, though? Landry also pointed out that Garia was just 9-for-16 in save opportunities in 2025 for Texas. He also put together a 2.95 ERA last season, too.
"Robert Garcia is a guy that learned how to pitch in the eighth and ninth innings last year," Schumaker told Landry. "He was never in that role before, really. He was in the kind of bridge, sixth or seventh inning. Still leverage roles, but not eighth and ninth inning. I think he probably learned a lot from last year."
Alexis Díaz is one name that Rangers fans should pay attention to right now. Díaz did not have a great 2025 MLB season, posting an 8.15 ERA in time with three different teams.
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But Landry indicated that Díaz has the most career saves of any pitcher in camp. Díaz has 75 career saves to his credit.
"Díaz is very intriguing," Schumaker said. "Going to have to watch it in games, but so far, his bullpens have been good. [Pitching coach Jordan] Tiegs, [assistant pitching coach Dave] Bush and [bullpen coach Colby] Suggs have identified some things to try to get him back to where he was.
"… If we can get the fastball back into the zone and get that ride that he usually has at the velocity that he was used to, then I think we're going to be good," Schumaker added.
Whomever Schumaker ultimately decides to fill the closer's role, that guy just has to stay healthy all season long.
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The Rangers cannot afford to put a pitcher in that closer's role and not be able to trust him. If anyone needs to look at how important the closer's role is for any team, then just remember that the Los Angeles Dodgers had problems in the bullpen all season long in 2025.
It took Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to put returning starter Roki Sasaki into that role for the team as it motored to a second straight World Series championship.
Roberts would probably be one manager who would tell Schumaker how nerve-racking it can be when the bullpen isn't set up properly.
So, pay attention to how the Rangers roll out pitchers in relief during Spring Training.
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