RADIO
Joc Pederson on the Free-Agent Market
Texas Rangers outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson turned down his end of a mutual $18.5 million 2027 option, a source told Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Pederson will now become a free agent (without a buyout) after signing a two-year, $37 million deal with the Rangers. The 34-year-old veteran left-handed slugger hit .235 with 26 home runs and 53 RBI in 136 games for Texas in 2026 but did not play after Sept. 12, when he fractured his left wrist when he was hit by a fastball from Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. It was a nice bounce-back season for Pederson after he hit just .181/.285/.328 with a .614 OPS, only nine home runs, 26 RBI, 28 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 96 games played in his first year with the Rangers in 2025. The two-time All-Star has plenty of pop in his lumber still, but his lack of success against left-handers and his defensive shortcomings as an outfielder will severely limit his value on the open market, with a lockout inevitable on Dec. 1. Pederson might be waiting for a while before finding a new team for the 2027 season.
Source: ESPN.com - Jesse Rogers
Source: ESPN.com - Jesse Rogers
Evan Carter to Miss Start of 2027 Season After Hip Surgery
Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter (hip) had arthroscopic surgery on his right hip last week to address a labral injury and a hip impingement, president of baseball operations Chris Young told Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Carter will not be ready for the start of the 2027 season. Carter played 141 games in 2026 and made all 112 of his defensive starts in center field. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter's hip likely bothered him for much of the year, which contributed to him hitting a lowly .194 (76-for-391) with nine home runs, 40 RBI, 17 stolen bases, 52 runs scored, and a 25.1% strikeout rate in 455 plate appearances in his fourth year in the big leagues. The Rangers expect Carter to play the majority of next season, but he is facing a recovery period of around six months. Carter made his MLB debut in September of 2023 and helped the Rangers win their first-ever World Series championship that fall while hitting .306 with five homers and 12 RBI in 23 games, but he played in only 108 of a possible 324 games the following two seasons due to injuries, and he has quickly developed an injury-prone label as well as struggling against left-handed pitching.
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Brandon Nimmo Returns From Illness on Tuesday
Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (illness) is starting in right field and batting fifth on Tuesday against the visiting New York Mets and left-hander Sean Manaea, according to MLB.com. Nimmo is feeling good enough to play on Tuesday against his old team after a scheduled day off on Monday. The 33-year-old has not lived up to expectations in his first season with the Rangers in 2026, slashing .260/.325/.407 with a .732 OPS, 14 home runs, 61 RBI, 61 runs scored, and seven stolen bases across his 570 at-bats after reaching the 20-homer mark in his final three seasons with the Mets, including a career-high 25 round-trippers in 2025. The former first-rounder in 2011 has slumped in the final month of the regular season, too, going 15-for-66 (.227) with zero home runs, four doubles, eight RBI, five runs scored, six walks, and 22 strikeouts in 17 games in September. Nimmo will attempt to turn things around in the final week of the season and try to help Texas win the American League West division. He has actually hit much better against lefties this year, going 59-for-179 (.330) against them with five of his 14 homers on the year.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Brandon Nimmo Out Sick on Sunday
Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (illness) is out of the lineup due to an illness on Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays, according to the team. Alejandro Osuna is starting in right field for Texas and will bat fifth against Blue Jays right-hander Spencer Miles. The Rangers have a scheduled day off on Monday, so there is a good chance that Nimmo will be feeling good enough to return for Tuesday's series opener at home against the New York Mets. Nimmo has been more of a disappointment overall in 2026 in his first year in Texas after 10 seasons with the New York Mets, as he entered play on Sunday with a .260/.325/.407 slash line with a .732 OPS, 14 home runs, 61 RBI, 61 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 149 games played across 631 plate appearances. He has been particularly ineffective in 17 games so far this month, going 15-for-66 (.227) with zero homers, eight RBI, six walks, and 22 strikeouts.
Source: Texas Rangers
Source: Texas Rangers
Joc Pederson Dealing With Hand Fracture
Texas Rangers outfielder Joc Pederson (hand) is dealing with a small fracture of a bone in his left hand, but he will attempt to play through the injury based on pain tolerance, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. The immediate issue for the Rangers is to reduce swelling in the area to allow him to properly grip and swing a bat. With Texas facing Boston Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval on Tuesday, Pederson will start on the bench, with catcher Elias Diaz serving as the designated hitter and batting eighth. Pederson's injury is the result of being hit by a fastball from Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt on Saturday. The lefty slugger was wearing an infrared glove designed to promote circulation and recovery, and he is also loading up on compression fabric to boost circulation while taking anti-inflammatories to reduce swelling in his hand. The 34-year-old veteran shares the team lead in homers with Jake Burger at 26, but he is coming off a month of August where he hit .138 (9-for-65) with four homers, seven RBI, seven runs, nine walks, and 21 strikeouts in 27 games. Despite his power from the left side, Pederson is rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
Wyatt Langford Remains Mired in Extended Second-Half Slump
Across 409 plate appearances in 2026, Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford is hitting .241/.330/.435 with 16 home runs, 38 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases. Especially considering the hype he once generated as a prospect, the 24-year-old's season-long numbers are underwhelming. However, Langford's production has really taken a turn for the worse of late. After hitting .189 across 120 plate appearances in August, Langford has recorded just four hits across his first 39 trips to the plate in September. Langford's underlying batted-ball metrics are down as well, as he's posted just a 5.1% barrel rate in the second half of the season. While Langford remains a useful fantasy piece due to his potential for five-category production, fantasy managers may not want to find themselves relying on him down the stretch.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brandon Nimmo Heating Up Entering September
Across 564 plate appearances in 2026, Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo is hitting .269/.333/.428 with 14 home runs, 58 RBI, 56 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. The 33-year-old's top-line numbers have actually lagged behind his underlying metrics, as he's posted a 10.2% barrel rate and a 50.9% hard-hit rate, leaving him with a .280 xBA and .474 xSLG. Since the All-Star break, Nimmo's numbers have started to improve. Across his last 180 plate appearances, the veteran outfielder is hitting .282/.339/.436 with five home runs and 24 RBI. With the Rangers' overall lineup getting healthier and starting to round into form, Nimmo should be in a better position to be an impact run producer for fantasy managers the rest of the way. Fantasy managers in need of outfield help may want to target Nimmo as we enter the season's final month.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Joc Pederson Becoming a Waiver Priority After Two-Homer Game
Texas Rangers outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson continued his strong month of July on Monday in the team's 7-3 win over the division-rival Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field, going 2-for-4 as the team's leadoff hitter with two home runs, four RBI, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .254 and his OPS to .856. The 34-year-old left-handed slugger's damage came early, as he hit a leadoff homer against right-hander George Kirby before blasting a three-run homer in the second inning. Pederson now has two multi-homer games in 2026 and 22 in his career. The two-homer performance extended his current hitting streak to 10 games, during which he's gone 14-for-36 (.389) with five home runs, nine RBI, and a stolen base. Pederson is now slashing .254/.343/.513 with 19 home runs after the two-time All-Star hit just nine homers in 96 games played in 2025 in his first year with the Rangers. For his power stroke from the left side, Pederson needs to be considered as a waiver-wire pickup in more mixed leagues. He's currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Wyatt Langford Returning to Sunday's Lineup
Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (ankle, foot) is starting in left field and batting second in Sunday's contest at home against the division-rival Seattle Mariners and right-hander Logan Gilbert, according to MLB.com. Langford fouled a couple of pitches off his left ankle/foot during Saturday's win over Seattle before he was pulled as a precaution after six innings. Thankfully, X-rays came back negative for any fractures. The 24-year-old former fourth overall pick from the University of Florida in 2023 went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored in Saturday's game before departing. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups in all traditional leagues now that he's back in action on Sunday. After his strong performance on Saturday, Langford is now slashing .290/.335/.533 with an .868 OPS, 12 home runs, 29 RBI, 34 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in his 210 at-bats in 2026. He can't seem to escape nagging injuries, but when healthy, Langford is one of the better power/speed outfielders in fantasy.
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Wyatt Langford's X-Rays Come Back Negative, Could Play on Sunday
Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (ankle, foot) said X-rays came back negative after he suffered a left-ankle/foot injury in Saturday's game against the division-rival Seattle Mariners, and he expects to be fine for Sunday's game, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Fantasy managers should consider the 24-year-old right-handed slugger to be day-to-day for now. Given Langford's already lengthy injury history early in his MLB career, we would not be surprised if the Rangers hold him out of Sunday's contest against Seattle. If Langford is held out on Sunday, his next chance to return to action would be for Monday's series finale against the Mariners. Langford, a former first-rounder, has already missed 52 of a possible 104 games in 2026 due to various injuries, so the Rangers probably won't push him to play on Sunday. In his third year in the big leagues, Langford is hitting a strong .290 (61-for-210) with 12 home runs, 29 RBI, 34 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 52 games across 224 plate appearances. His power/speed upside makes him roster-worthy in all fantasy formats.
Source: DLLS Sports - Jeff Wilson
Source: DLLS Sports - Jeff Wilson
Wyatt Langford Activated and Starting on Thursday
The Texas Rangers announced on Thursday that they activated outfielder Wyatt Langford (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list and optioned infielder Josh Smith to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. Langford is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second for Thursday's series finale at home against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels and left-hander Reid Detmers. The 24-year-old former fourth overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft out of the University of Florida will return to the Rangers' lineup without having gone on a minor-league rehab assignment after missing under two weeks with a strained left hamstring. Fantasy managers will want to get the power/speed threat back in their starting lineups right away. Injuries have been the story of Langford's career to this point in his third MLB season. He's been good when healthy in 2026, hitting .278/.324/.500 with an .824 OPS, eight home runs, 20 RBI, 23 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 40 games and 173 plate appearances. Langford has hit .200 with a homer and two RBI in just five career at-bats against Detmers.
Source: Texas Rangers PR
Source: Texas Rangers PR
Wyatt Langford Hoping to Return Before the All-Star Break
Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (hamstring) ran at high intensity on Tuesday and is hoping to come off the 10-day injured list before the All-Star break next week, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Just a few weeks ago, the Rangers said that Langford wouldn't return before the break, so he has exceeded expectations during his rehab. He's recovering from a strained left hamstring and would have to skip a minor-league rehab assignment if he's going to return this week/weekend. The 24-year-old former fourth overall pick out of the University of Florida in the 2023 MLB draft continues to be plagued by injuries early in his career, but his high-end power/speed potential keeps him stash-worthy while he rehabs yet another injury. In 40 games and 173 plate appearances so far in 2026 in his third big-league season, Langford has hit .278/.324/.500 with an .824 OPS, eight home runs, 20 RBI, 23 runs scored, and six stolen bases. Langford had his first 20-20 season (22 homers and 22 steals) in just 134 games and 573 plate appearances in his second full MLB campaign.
Source: DLLS Sports - Jeff Wilson
Source: DLLS Sports - Jeff Wilson
Brandon Nimmo Returns for Saturday's Game Against Rangers
Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (shoulder) is starting in right field and batting cleanup for the Rangers in Saturday's contest at home against the visiting Detroit Tigers and right-hander Jack Flaherty, per MLB.com. Nimmo suffered an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder last Sunday when he crashed into the outfield wall to make the final out of the game, which caused him to miss the last four games. The 33-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder will return on the Fourth of July and give the injury-wrecked Rangers' lineup a boost to finish out the weekend. In his first year in Texas, Nimmo has underwhelmed, slashing .262/.333/.420 with a .753 OPS, eight home runs, 29 RBI, 35 runs scored, and three stolen bases in his 317 at-bats. He closed out the month of June on a heater, though, going 15-for-48 (.313) with five doubles, a homer, a triple, four RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in 12 games, and fantasy managers are hoping he can pick up where he left off after missing the last four games. Nimmo has only faced Flaherty twice in his career, but he's picked up two hits against him.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Brandon Nimmo Missing Fourth Straight Game With Shoulder Injury
Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (shoulder) will miss a fourth straight game due to a sprained ACL joint in his left shoulder on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers, per MLB.com. Antonio Osuna will make another start in left field for the Rangers and will hit eighth against Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez. Osuna has seen everyday playing time of late with both Nimmo and Wyatt Langford (hamstring) banged up. The Rangers have expressed optimism that Nimmo can avoid a trip to the injured list, unlike Langford, but if he cannot return during the Fourth of July weekend, he could be sidelined for the rest of the first half of the season. The 33-year-old former first-rounder in 2011 has been a bit of a disappointment in 2026 in his first year with the Rangers, slashing .262/.333/.420 with a .753 OPS, eight homers, 29 RBI, 35 runs, and three steals in 317 at-bats. Nimmo closed out June on a roll, though, going 12-for-40 (.300) with a homer, four doubles, a triple, four RBI, seven runs, and a steal in his last 10 games. Check back on Friday to see if Nimmo is ready to return.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Brandon Nimmo Likely to Avoid the Injured List
Although Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (shoulder) is out of the lineup on Wednesday for a third straight game against the Cleveland Guardians with a left AC joint sprain in his shoulder, MLB.com's Henry Palattella reports that he's likely to avoid a trip to the injured list. That's great news for the Rangers, who placed outfielder Wyatt Langford (hamstring) on the IL over the weekend and shortstop Corey Seager (back) on the IL on Wednesday. Nimmo ended Sunday's win over the Toronto Blue Jays with a fantastic catch, but he crashed against the outfield wall and injured his shoulder, causing him to miss the series in Cleveland. Manager Skip Schumaker said on Tuesday that Nimmo was day-to-day and could avoid a stint on the IL. "It was a much better day today, which was good," Schumaker said. "From yesterday to today, it was much better." Nimmo has hit .262/.333/.420 with eight home runs and 29 RBI in 82 games in his first year in Texas, but he had a .759 OPS in 25 games in June, which was over 100 points higher than his .657 OPS in May. Alejandro Osuna is making another start in left field on Wednesday, with utility man Ezequiel Duran in right field.
Source: MLB.com - Henry Palattella
Source: MLB.com - Henry Palattella
