So, now the long, dark, slow slog until next season begins. Usually, it’s building the team for spring training in February and the regular season in late March. But those dates are all in question now.

What’s not in question, seeing the Brewers and Rays in the just completed World Series, is how far the Rangers need to go to get good. When you compare the Rangers lineup to the Brewers, you ask: which Ranger could make the Brewers lineup, a lineup of contact hitters, unselfish, not swinging for the fences on every pitch?

It’s a lineup with no easy outs. That’s what the Rangers have become. Too many easy outs. 

Start with Jake Burger. He’d never make the Brewers. He’s a home run or bust guy. An on-base of just .302, 167 strikeouts. In key post season situations, you walk the guy in front of him to get to Burger. An easy out. Sure, there might be some instances where he burns you with a home run. But not when it counts. He’s not a Brewer.

Justin Foscue, or at least the version we saw in 2026, is scrappy. He puts the ball in play. He make great strides in ’26. He could be a Brewer. He seems to be just like a lot of the other no-name stars the Brewers have. Guys who just get it done.

Corey Seager makes way too much to be a Brewer. His 2026 was dreadful but there’s no reason to think his 2027 won’t be back to typical Corey Seager standards, which makes him one of the top hitters in baseball. He was instrumental in helping the Rangers win the World Series, so that makes him Brewers material. But he’s too expensive to be a Brewer.

Josh Jung seemed to turn himself into a Brewer in 2026. His home run numbers were down, but his ability to put the ball in play, generate singles and doubles, improved. He was a much more reliable hitter in 2026. He could be a Brewer.

Ezequiel Duran is scrappy, plays hard, gets the most out of his limited talent, is always in the middle of it, and isn’t an easy out. That’s Brewer material for sure.

Evan Carter is not only not Brewer material, he shouldn’t be Rangers material. He the easiest of outs against left handed pitchers, with zero extra-base hits in his career. And he’s just a regular easy out against righties. He had that one glorious run in 2023 to propel the Rangers to the playoffs. But that wasn’t sustainable. Evan Carter tried to turn himself into a Brewer this year by upping his bunting game. He has a long way to go to be anything but an easy out.

Brandon Nimmo could have been a Brewer before he got paid too much. But he has the bat-on-ball skills, the desire, the ability to make things happen, and is a tough at-bat. He’s not an easy out. But he makes too much to be a Brewer. Thankfully, he’s a Ranger.

Joc Pederson is definitely not a Brewer. Except for his miserable 2025, Pederson is a quality major league hitter. But he has too many holes in his offense. He can be very good. He can also strike out a lot. He’s not an easy out, but he not Mr Reliable either. Not a Brewer. 

Danny Janson isn’t a Brewer at all. He’s scrappy, he’s a gamer, but compare him to the Brewers’ catcher William Contrares who won the World Series MVP, and he’s a big no. Doesn’t generate enough offense when it counts. He’s an easy out.

The Rangers have a long way to go to be Brewers good. It doesn’t take money, which the Rangers have but are unwilling to commit anymore. It takes baseball acumen from the front office. And it doesn’t appear in that department there are any Brewers there at all.