For the longest time, the Texas Rangers have spent unprecedented amounts of money over multiple MLB offseasons. But the Rangers eventually became World Series champions in 2023 after an agonizing 63 years of trials and tribulations.
If you’re a Texas Rangers fan, you can name some, if not most, players, both past and present. But, chances are, you aren’t perfect, and that’s okay. We’re all human and make mistakes.
That being said, I have ten forgotten Texas Rangers players for you.
10. Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Beltrán is a Puerto Rican former MLB outfielder. Beltrán began his career with the Kansas City Royals from 1998 to 2004 and ended his career as a 2017 World Series champion on the Houston Astros’ roster. But let’s not forget that the Manatí, Puerto Rico, native was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2016 and hit his first home run as a Texas Ranger while recording his 1,500th run on the same play.
Beltrán had 93 RBIs in 151 regular-season games and went 2-for-11 with one RBI in three postseason games for the 2016 ALDS, where the Rangers got swept by the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0.
9. Carlos Lee
Carlos Lee, also known as El Caballo, is a Panamanian former MLB left fielder and first baseman. Lee began his career with the Chicago White Sox from 1999 to 2004 and finished with the Miami Marlins in 2012. The native of Aguadulce, Panama, had a brief stint with the Texas Rangers in 2006.
Between the Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers in ’06, Lee hit a career-high 37 home runs and recorded 116 RBIs in 161 regular season games.
8. Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. Oswalt began his career with the Houston Astros from 2001 to 2010 and played brief stints with the Philadelphia Phillies from 2010 to 2011, the Texas Rangers in 2012, and the Colorado Rockies in 2013. The Weir, Mississippi, native was best known as a Houston Astros ace, and in Houston, Texas, he was a three-time MLB All-Star (2005 to 2007), NLCS MVP (2005), NL wins leader (2004), and NL ERA leader (2006).
But, up in Arlington, Texas, Oswalt’s stint as a Texas Ranger wasn’t as memorable, despite being regarded as one of the top starters in the MLB’s free agent market in 2012. Oswalt amazed the home crowd and received a standing ovation in his Rangers’ debut by pitching 6 2/3 innings, collecting six strikeouts, and surrendering nine hits and one earned run. Afterward, Oswalt was diagnosed with a right forearm strain and never returned to 100% form.
7. Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa is a Dominican-American former MLB right fielder. Sosa was best known for his tenure with the Chicago Cubs from 1992 to 2004, but let’s not forget that the San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, native, made his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers on June 16, 1989.
As a Texas Ranger, Sosa wore the No. 17 and led off his MLB debut and a short-lived stint as the Texas Rangers’ starting left-fielder. Sosa hit his first career home run off of Roger Clemens, also known as Rocket, on June 21, 1989.
6. John Rocker
John Rocker is an American former relief pitcher. Unlike the others, Roy only played for six seasons, but primarily for the Atlanta Braves from 1998 to 2001. The Statesboro, Georgia, native made his MLB debut for the Braves on May 5, 1998, after being drafted 516th overall in the 18th round of the 1993 MLB Draft by the Atlanta-based team.
Rocker went on to play for the Cleveland Indians in 2001, the Texas Rangers in 2002, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now Tampa Bay Rays) in 2003 before recovering from left shoulder surgery and calling it quits. And, in Arlington, Texas, Rocker reportedly refused to be designed to the minor leagues.
5. Ken Caminiti
The late Ken Caminiti (1963-2004) was an American former MLB third baseman who spent 15 seasons in the MLB. Caminiti’s career began with the Houston Astros from 1987 to 1994 and 1999 to 2000 and ended with the Atlanta Braves in 2001. The Hanford, California, native also played for the San Diego Padres from 1995 to 1998 and the Texas Rangers in 2001.
After signing a $3.25 million deal with the Texas Rangers, Caminiti hit just .232 over the first three months of the MLB season and reportedly requested a release from the Rangers.
4. Miles Mikolas
Miles Mikolas is an American pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Mikolas, 35, has been based in St. Louis, Missouri, from 2018 to 2019 and 2021 to present. Previously, the Jupiter, Florida, native played for the San Diego Padres from 2012 to 2013 after being drafted 204th overall in the seventh round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the San Diego-based team, along with the Texas Rangers in 2014 and the Nippon Professional Baseball’s Yomiuri Giants from 2015 to 2017.
Mikolas was called to the Texas Rangers’ 25-man roster on July 1, 2014. Mikolas, however, gave up three hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings in his first career start against the Baltimore Orioles and went 2-for-5 with a 6.44 ERA in ten starts with the Rangers, who released him after the 2014 MLB season.
3. Rich “Goose” Gossage
Rich Gossage, better known as Goose Gossage, is an American former MLB pitcher who played 22 seasons in the league between 1972 and 1994. Gossage pitched for nine different MLB teams, including the Texas Rangers in 1991, but was better known for his tenures with the New York Yankees from 1978 to 1983 and the San Diego Padres from 1984 to 1987.
Gossage signed with the Texas Rangers in 1991. And, on July 23, 1991, a statistical coincidence was noted when the Colorado Springs, Colorado, native recorded his 308th career save to preserve Nolan Ryan’s 308th win. Ryan, whose nickname is The Ryan Express, was widely known as the Texas Rangers’s right-handed pitcher from 1989 to 1993.
2. Endy Chávez
Endy Chávez is a Venezuelan former MLB outfielder. Chávez began his career with the Kansas City Royals in 2001, and his career ended with the Seattle Mariners from 2013 to 2014. Endy is the older brother of Ender Chávez, a Venezuelan former batting practice pitcher for the New York Mets in 2020 and a former MLB undrafted outfielder.
Chávez agreed to a minor league free-agent contract with the Texas Rangers on February 15, 2010, and spent time with the Rangers’ Double-A team, the Frisco RoughRiders, and Triple-A team, the Oklahoma City RedHawks, while returning from his ACL injury.
Fast forward to 2011, when Chávez batted .301 with five home runs in 256 at-bats and helped the Rangers to the 2011 World Series, but ultimately lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. The Valencia, Venezuela, native’s stint in Arlington, Texas, wasn’t too shabby, but he was better known for his three-year tenure with the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals between 2002 and 2005.
1. Bobby Bonds
The late Bobby Bonds (1946-2003) was an American right fielder. Bobby, the father of American former MLB left-fielder Barry Bonds, primarily played for the San Francisco Giants from 1968 to 1974. Bobby signed with the Giants in 1964 and hit his first career grand slam in his third at-bat during his first MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 25, 1968.
Bonds went on to play for the New York Yankees (1975), California Angels (1976-1977), Chicago White Sox (1978), Texas Rangers (1978), Cleveland Indians (1979), St. Louis Cardinals (1980), and Chicago Cubs (1981), but appeared to leave his heart — and mark — in San Francisco, California. The Riverside, California, native was a three-time MLB All-Star in 1971, 1973, and 1975, a three-time MLB Gold Glove recipient in 1971, 1973, and 1974, and a member of the San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame.
As a coach, Bonds coached the Indians from 1984 to 1987 and the Giants from 1993 to 1996.
