Rangers release Adolis García and Jonah Heim, now they are free agents
The Texas Rangers have made important decisions for the upcoming MLB season, by not offering contracts to several key players. Among them, outfielder Adolis García and catcher Jonah Heim stand out, who now become free agents. This decision is part of a series of moves involving 66 arbitration-eligible players who did not receive offers from their respective teams. Players who are not re-signed immediately become free agents, allowing them to negotiate with any team, including the Rangers. Both Garcia and Heim were key pieces in the Rangers’ victory in the 2023 World Series. However, their performances in recent seasons have not been as consistent. García, who was the Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series in 2023, had an OPS of .700. In 2025, he batted .227 with 19 home runs, with a salary of more than 9 million dollars. Heim, for his part, batted .213 last season with 11 home runs and an OPS of .602, earning 4.57 million dollars. Both players were eligible for salary increases through arbitration, but the Rangers, seeking to reduce costs, decided not to offer them contracts. Rangers pitcher, Josh Sborz, also became a free agent after not receiving an offer for 2026.Other notable players who did not receive offers include pitcher Alek Manoah of the Atlanta Braves, infielder Nathaniel Lowe of the Boston Red Sox, and catcher Reese McGuire of the Chicago Cubs. In addition, pitcher Carson Spiers of the Cincinnati Reds, pitcher Sam Hentges of the Cleveland Guardians, outfielder Mike Tauchman of the Chicago White Sox and reliever Jason Foley and infielder Andy Ibanez of the Detroit Tigers. Pitcher Evan Phillips of the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitchers Mark Leiter Jr., Scott Effross, and Ian Hamilton of the New York Yankees, pitcher Gregory Santos of the Seattle Mariners, catcher Andrew Knizner of the San Francisco Giants, and infielder Christopher Morel of the Tampa Bay Rays. All other arbitration-eligible players received contract offers, meaning they will remain tied to their teams for the 2026 season. Their salaries will be determined through negotiation or arbitration. The deadline marked the last opportunity for teams to release arbitration-eligible players without committing to pay at least 30 days of salary if the player is released.Regardless of what happens in the future, Adolis, Jonah, and Josh will always be remembered for their contributions to the first World Series title in franchise history.
Chris Young, Rangers’ President of Baseball Operations
