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The Texas Rangers spared no expense in pursuit of their first World Series title, and that free-spending mindset has finally paid off in championship glory.
Previously just one of six current MLB franchises to never win a title, the Rangers closed out a five-game World Series win on Wednesday, dispatching the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 and completing an unprecedented 11-game postseason winning streak on the road.
Long existing as a middle-tier and often unlucky MLB franchise, under managing partner and majority owner Ray Davis and general manager Chris Young the Rangers have transformed into one of the league’s top-spending teams, jumpstarting the slow rebuilding processes typically pursued by MLB clubs.
After spending $700 million toward the $1.2 billion Globe Life Field that opened in 2020, the Rangers committed $561.2 million to a set of free agents in late 2021, most notably star infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. Those outlays were then supplemented with another $185 million pact for pitcher Jacob deGrom this past offseason and again at this summer’s trade-deadline acquisitions of pitchers Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery.
The Rangers soared to fourth in MLB payroll this year at $251.3 million, behind the New York Mets and Yankees and San Diego Padres, up from 20th in 2021 and by far the largest total in team history.
“It always had to be a combination [of player development and free agency], but management looked to make a big statement and then backed it up with resources,” Rangers executive vice president of business operations Rob Matwick told Front Office Sports.
All that effort has led to the biggest moment in the Rangers’ 63-year history, even if domestic viewership has generally cratered — this year’s World Series is on track to be the least-watched ever.
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