ARLINGTON, Texas-The Texas Rangers rotation is leaning quite a bit to the left.
There was no reunion with Yu Darvish or any other high-prized pitching additions during the offseason. The Rangers instead added two more lefty starters to go with Cole Hamels and Martin Perez, along with a free agent right-hander.
"We don't see a lot of lefties in the game, so we're just hoarding them," Hamels said. "I think it'll work out. ... We're going to be able to pick up things and correct each other just because we have some similarities."
With 3,000-hit third baseman Adrian Beltre, 10th-season shortstop Elvis Andrus and young slugger Joey Gallo part of an everyday lineup that hasn't changed too much, the Rangers should be able to hit and score runs. They did last year, despite a losing record for only the second time in nine years after
winning the AL West title in each of manager Jeff Banister's first two
seasons.
But to contend again in the AL West with defending World Series champion Houston and other improving teams, the Rangers will have to depend on their revamped rotation and a bullpen that blew 21 saves last year and doesn't have a set
closer.
Matt Moore lost 15 games (tied for most in the NL) for the San Francisco Giants last season. Mike Minor, another lefty, was a full-time reliever with 65 appearances for Kansas City last year after missing two full seasons because of injury, and hasn't started since 2014 for Atlanta. Doug Fister, a late addition to the Boston Red Sox last season, will likely be the only right-hander in the initial rotation.
"That's great for me," Fister said. "I stand out."