How long until the Rangers compete in the AL West? Or will it be so long that baseball will have expanded and re-aligned? #EvanHelpUs
— DanCedar (@OldDanCedar) June 6, 2018I think this team is looking at 2020 at the earliest. The big issue is starting pitching, and the situation is dire there for a couple of years. Right now, the only guys for sure returning from the current rotation, barring a trade, are Martin Perez and Mike Minor. In a championship rotation, both are back-of-the-rotation pitchers.
The guys who are supposed to be the closest to the majors currently in the minor league system are Yohander Mendez, who does not look ready, and Ariel Jurado, who also looks like a back-of-the-rotation starter, at best.