SURPRISE, Ariz. -- You’ve heard it before, but Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young successfully spearheaded a bullpen rebuild in 2025, leading to a 3.62 ERA, good for good for fifth in the Majors (third in the AL).
But there was one small issue. They also went 37-for-66 in save opportunities. Young mostly rebuilt the bullpen once again, hoping for a closer to emerge from the group in 2026.
“I think there's obviously a number of guys that are going to have to take on that role potentially,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “There's always somebody that surprises you in that bullpen. I don't know who it's going to be, but there's going to be some arms that are very fun to watch so far. There's a couple guys that have been opening some eyes so far that have potential to take on the eighth and ninth inning.”
Here are the three options for closer in 2026:
LHP Robert Garcia
The Rangers acquired Robert Garcia in December 2024 with the idea that he had enough upside to be used in high-leverage situations. He showed flashes with a 2.95 ERA last season, but he ultimately went just 9-for-16 in save opportunities.
Garcia has said multiple times that he wants to be in that closer role and he craves the adrenaline that comes with it. He just has to prove he can grab ahold of it.
“Robert Garcia is a guy that learned how to pitch in the eighth and ninth innings last year,” Schumaker said. “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.”
RHP Chris Martin
Schumaker admitted that Chris Martin -- along with Garcia -- would get some of the first looks at closer this season.
Martin was solid for the Rangers in 2025, posting a 2.98 ERA over 49 appearances. That being said, he pitched just 9 2/3 innings in the second half amid a number of IL stints for shoulder fatigue, a pair of calf strains and thoracic outlet syndrome that ultimately ended his year. He also went 2-for-5 in save opportunities.
He’s entering his age-40 season, but he felt good enough to return and contribute to his hometown team in the bullpen. He, by far, has the most big league experience of the bunch, though he wasn’t able to be healthy enough to show it in 2025.
RHP Alexis Díaz
Alexis Díaz has the most career saves (75) of any pitcher in camp. But the last two seasons have been anything but easy. Young said Díaz is a great “bounceback candidate” after a pair of down years. The right-hander was an All-Star in 2023 and posted a 3.99 ERA in ‘24. He struggled to an 8.15 ERA across three teams in ‘25.
Schumaker said Díaz struggled with both physical and mechanical issues last season, leading to a velocity drop to 93.5 mph in 2025. When his fastball had life to it, he was elite. And he’s impressed coaches in bullpens so far this spring, but he’ll have to prove it in game action before even being a true option for the closer role.
“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.”