The non-tender deadline is Friday. That’s the day teams decide whether they want to offer a contract to player who are eligible for arbitration or let them go into free agency.

The website MLBTradeRumors.com predicts four Rangers hitters will be non-tendered: catcher Jonah Heim, first baseman Jake Burger, right fielder Adolis Garcia, and Sam Haggerty. They also predict reliever Josh Sborz will be non-tendered.

That doesn’t mean these players won’t be Rangers next year, though. A team can decide not to tender an offer, allow the player to go into free agency, then sign him at a lower price than they would have been compelled to offer him in arbitration, where salaries are artificially inflated. It’s a way for a team to control payroll, which is exactly what the Rangers are trying to do.

A good bit of the blame for the offensive woes this team has experienced the past two seasons fall on Heim and Garcia, with Burger underperforming in his lone season with the Rangers. All three being non-tendered would not hurt the Rangers. Marcus Semien is a main culvert of the vanishing offense as well, but his contract means he’s not going anywhere easily.

Heim and Garcia were instrumental in the Rangers World Series title run in 2023, but since then have regressed to the point where they are offensive liabilities. If this team has any hopes of making the playoffs in 2026, hitters like Heim, Garcia, and Burger are exactly who they need to replace with hitters who make contract.

In the meantime, they are trying to make deals for guys like Heim, Garcia, and Burger. Maybe there’s a team out there who wants them. Don’t expect anything major coming back in return, though.

We’ll find out tomorrow.