This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ARLINGTON -- The free-agent market was slow for weeks after the World Series as the baseball world waited for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to make his decision.

Now that Ohtani has decided to join the Dodgers, the market figures to speed up over the next few weeks. The Rangers made one move during baseball’s annual Winter Meetings last week in Nashville, Tenn. -- signing reliever Kirby Yates to a one-year deal -- but they still have holes to fill as the holidays approach.

Here’s a brief post-Winter Meetings Inbox:

The Braves, Red Sox, Nationals and Cubs have all torn it down post-championship; what have you been told by the club that indicates that will/won't happen here? -- @grodysattva on X
Quite simply because both general manager Chris Young and manager Bruce Bochy have emphasized that their focus after winning the World Series is to do it all again. For all his successes, Bochy has never won back-to-back championships. Young would clearly like to build off this year and turn the club into a perennial contender.

It doesn't hurt that Corey Seager is still under contract for eight years, and Marcus Semien for five. The Rangers have a plethora of young and controllable talent to continue to build around those two. The front office clearly did not build this up to be a one-year thing.

“We're not perfect,” Young said at the Winter Meetings. “There are things that we can improve. But also, to win, you don't have to be perfect. I think that the goal is to put the best group of players together to give this team the best chance to win. I think we did a phenomenal job of that last year. I think we've done it over the last several years in terms of building up to this.

“Now we do have a great core group assembled, and it’s about how we enhance that and make them as good as possible while recognizing that no team is truly perfect.”

Which pitching prospects will likely impact the team next season? Can any break in with the team as a starter? -- @billyflan on X
I honestly think that the most likely prospects to make an immediate impact will be one of the relievers -- likely right-hander Marc Church (Rangers’ No. 19 prospect, per MLB Pipeline) and left-hander Antoine Kelly (No. 26).

Kelly was the Rangers’ 2023 Minor League Reliever of the Year and posted a 2.04 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 11 saves over 49 relief outings between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. Church also split the 2023 season between Round Rock and Frisco, combining to post a 3.63 ERA and 79 strikeouts against 38 walks over 43 appearances.

As for starters, the Rangers would love a bounce-back season from Owen White (No. 8), who looked primed for the big leagues after a breakout 2022 campaign. But he faltered to a 4.22 ERA in ‘23 as he made his transition to Triple-A. Even so, he has all the tools and even made two big league appearances this season. He should be one of the next men up if he can perform as the Rangers expect.

What’s the word on Garver? Is he really looking for a full-time catching gig? Seems a perfect fit for both to stay in Texas as full time DH/part-time catcher? -- @mrwilson29 on X
There does at least seem to be mutual interest from both sides at the very least. Mitch Garver would obviously like to catch more, but the Rangers also will probably want to get Jonah Heim off his legs a bit more next year as well.

There’s a lot to consider though, especially when it comes to getting at-bats for younger guys like Ezequiel Duran, Josh Smith, Sam Huff and even Wyatt Langford (No. 2) when he eventually debuts. But Garver will no doubt stay on the Rangers’ radar this winter.

“We've been in touch with his agent. Mitch is a really, really talented player, and we're going to stay engaged,” Young said at the Winter Meetings.

Percent chance they stay in house for a DH and rotate guys through? 90%+? -- @CedarPollen on X
I wouldn’t go as high as 90% as it relates to staying in house for a DH. I do think they at least explore the hitter market -- including bringing back Garver -- so maybe closer to a 70% chance there.

It will definitely come down to if the front office and coaching staff trusts a DH-by-committee type of situation with Duran, Huff and Justin Foscue (No. 6) over spending money for established veteran free agents.

Duran is the only one of those three with any period of extended success at the big league level, even if it wasn’t sustained across a full season. I’m not sure the Rangers are fully willing to bet on that without veteran options ready to go.