Coming off a 78-84 season, the Texas Rangers are committed to bouncing back and being a contender in 2018.

Three Rangers beat writers are also optimistic about the 2018 season.

“I’ve said all along that if this team wins anywhere from 55 to 90 games, I’m not going to be surprised,” said Levi Weaver, the Rangers beat writer for The Athletic. 

“Maybe in the hunt for a wildcard,” said Jeff Wilson, Rangers beat writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “The second wildcard. If you look at the American League, it’s Houston, Cleveland, New York and Boston. So you think there might be one playoff spot the Rangers could be competing for in a league that has a lot of teams that are tanking or are just not very good. So I think they’ll be in it . They know how to win.”

“You know the Astros are going to be great most likely,” said T.R Sullivan, Rangers beat writer for mlb.com. “You never know what’s going to happen, but I think the Rangers still have a chance to contend.”

“It just seems like there are so many things that could go wrong, and most of that, I think, is pitching-based,” said Weaver. “And so many things that could go right, which, I think a lot of that is the offense. There are good pitchers in the rotation, but a lot of them are on the back end of their careers or transitioning from the bullpen. So we’ll see how the pitching works out. I think that’s where it all rides.”

“I think their starting rotation is underrated right now,” said Wilson. “I think Fister’s going to be okay. I think Matt Moore is really going to have a good year. Hamels will be Hamels, so I think the Rangers at least have a chance to contend for a wildcard spot.”

Some have speculated the Rangers are doing just enough to be respectable for the next two seasons. That’s when an impressive crop of free agents will be available, and the Rangers will enter a new home.

Globe Life Field opens in March 2020.  

As for 2018, the answer begins to unfold on opening day – March 29, against the defending World Series Champion Houston Astros.