Emotions in Texas are running high after the Rangers dropped a thrilling Game 5 in the American League Division Series to the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-3. You can be sure that, as you're reading this, there's a Rangers fan calling for radical change in Arlington.
But let's not forget: The Rangers weren't supposed to be playing meaningful baseball in October, having been written off after Yu Darvish's UCL tore and were left for dead when August rolled around as they sat three games under .500 (50-53) and eight games back in the AL West.
The Cole Hamels trade? It was made with 2016 in mind, not to spur an unlikely run to a division crown. But the Rangers defied the odds, winning the division and taking a heavily favored Toronto squad to five games.
While the ending is disappointing, the Rangers can hold their heads high—not only for how they performed on the field, but for how their prospects for continued success in 2016 and beyond stack up. Will changes be made? Of course. But they're not likely to be as widespread as some would believe.
What follows is a look at the decisions the team is going to have to make when it comes to the roster—and some reinforcements that could be welcomed.
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