No arbitration hearings for Rangers this year

For the 23rd year in a row, the Texas Rangers will not be going to arbitration with any of their arbitration-eligible players.

We discussed yesterday that the Rangers had reached agreements with four of their five arb-eligible players. Late last night, the Rangers also reached an agreement with catcher Mitch Garver, settling with him for $3.9 million for 2023. Interestingly, all five players ended up settling for slightly less than what MLB Trade Rumors had projected for them — Garver, for example, was projected at $4.2 million.

With the arbitration deals done, the Rangers have just under $180 million committed in current contracts for the 2023 season. When you fact in the pre-arb players who will be making around league minimum who will be on the roster, the Rangers are looking at a total payroll of $188,682,500 for 2023.

That would be a record high payroll for the Rangers, though I do expect that number to go up some, with the Rangers seeming likely to add anywhere from one to three more players to the major league roster, as they continue to search for a left fielder and additional outfield depth.