"The Rangers solidified the top of their rotation when they landed left-hander MacKenzie Gore in a trade with the Nationals. Gore, Jacob deGrom, and Nathan Eovaldi will form what should be a dominant trio, as long as everyone stays healthy. Former top prospect Jack Leiter delivered a solid campaign in his first full-time look at the big league level, likely earning him the No. 4 spot. After that, it gets murky."
"By pedigree, Rocker would be the favorite for the fifth starter job. The 26-year-old was the third overall pick in the 2022 draft. Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan of FanGraphs had Rocker behind only Sebastian Walcott among Rangers prospects midway through last season. That was even after the highly-touted righty was destroyed for 18 earned runs in 20 innings to open the year. He landed on the IL with a shoulder issue in late April."
The Rangers added left-hander MacKenzie Gore to pair with Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, creating a potent front-three contingent on health. Jack Leiter likely earned the No. 4 spot after a strong first full major-league season. Texas must replace substantial innings in 2026 after Patrick Corbin, Tyler Mahle, and Merrill Kelly departed or reached free agency. Kumar Rocker remains a high-upside candidate for the fifth starter role despite uneven results, an IL stint, and time in Triple-A. Jacob Latz provided versatile and effective innings as both a starter and reliever, though peripheral metrics suggest some regression risk.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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