Imagine this: One day you’re a key piece of a team’s future plans. Next, you are up for grabs. As the Opening Day countdown continues, the Texas Rangers’ unexpected roster move has stunned the baseball world. Further, Spring training is when players put in their 100% to lock in their spots. It’s on no player’s bingo card to walk off unsure if he even has a team.

It’s officially the end of the Dane Dunning Texas era. The Texas Rangers have just reshuffled—and Dunning is on the bubble. According to sources, Dunning has been put on outright waivers. Yes, we’re referring to the same guy who was their 2023 pitcher of the year.

He is up for grabs and any team can sign on to his $2.66M salary for 2025. And if that doesn’t pan out, the Rangers can shift him to the minors. Interestingly, with around 3 years of MLB service, he has the absolute right to decline the assignment and instead hit free agency.

This update comes right after the 30-year-old’s Spring Training. And let’s just say that he failed to deliver there as he posted a record of 1 win, 1 loss and 1 hold with an earned run average of 8.18 in 5 games. He even allowed 17 hits, 4 walks, struck out 14 batters and allowed 10 runs in 11 innings, resulting in a WHIP of 1.91 and a batting average of .340. His performance further registered a dip against Colorado Rockies on March 21, where he faced 5 hits and allowed 5 runs over 3⅓ innings.

It was just last year when he was a key piece for the Rangers’ rotation. He had a rough 2024 season—5.31 ERA and a brutal 45.8% hard-hit rate. As it looks, Texas seems to be ready to move on. We won’t have to wait too long to see if any other team takes a chance on him. Whatever happens next, Dunning’s future just took a sharp turn.

Texas Rangers have cut ties with two-time gold glove winner

It was indeed a tough call to make for the Rangers as they released 35-year-old veteran shortstop Nick Ahmed. The two-time Gold Glove winner, known for his stellar defense, was one of the eight non-roster players who didn’t make the Opening Day team. Ahmed has decided to walk away and explore opportunities somewhere else.

This marks a major twist in Ahmed’s journey. Although his bat hasn’t been remarkable, his defense still holds some value. The LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres both have relied on him to fill in the shoes when injuries have hit their infield stars in the past. This season is just getting started and there are possibilities that another team can reach out to him if they require a trusted shortstop.

On the other hand, the Rangers have re-signed right-hander Hunter Strickland to a minor league deal, just the next day after releasing him. He is a veteran of 10 MLB seasons. Strickland has had quite a roller coaster journey with having flashes of dominance blended with long stretches of inconsistency. His 2021 resurgence was promising but unfortunately, due to home run issues, he was plagued in recent years. For the time being, he will stay put in the Rangers’ system as bullpen depth.

For the other non-roster players cut from the big league camp, Adrian Houser stands out for sure. Some believed he had a chance at rotation, particularly because Cody Bradford and Jon Gary were injured. As the team has signed Patrick Corbin for depth, it seems like the Rangers are counting on young arms like Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker to take the big step.