MLB Twitter reacts to Texas Rangers being named most improved team in the majors by WAR: "Unshakable optimism" "Is it Opening Day yet?"

The Texas Rangers are the most improved team in MLB this offseason, according to the use of Wins Above Replacement analytics from Fangraphs.com.

Buoyed by the free-agent acquisition of starting pitcher Jacob deGrom from the New York Mets, the Rangers boast a plus-9.9 WAR for 2023 over 2022.

The New York Yankees, widely maligned by their fans for a lack of free-agent signings, still ranked No. 2 with a plus-8.4 WAR this offseason.

The information was tweeted out Monday by The Prospect Times, which named the top-10 most improved teams by WAR. The New York Mets, who made numerous headlines for breaking the bank in free agency this winter, were third with a plus-7.7 WAR.

A surprise entry on the list were the Boston Red Sox, who signed outfielder Masataka Yoshida to a five-year contract through the 2027 season, but lost shortstop Xander Bogaerts to the San Diego Padres via free agency. Boston was tied for fifth with a plus-6.1 WAR, while the Padres were ninth with a plus-3.3 WAR.

Still, the choice of the Texas Rangers at No. 1 was a point of debate among baseball fans.

After all, deGrom – who signed a five-year, $185 million contract this winter – was already shut down last week after feeling "tightness" in his left side and has yet to throw off of a mound a week into spring training. What good is his 43.8 career WAR if he doesn't pitch more than the 15 games that has been his high-water mark for appearances since 2019?

Clearly, there are a number of baseball fans that have already had enough of hearing about analytics and analysis. They just want to shake off the cold winter and see some live baseball.

Is deGrom a concern for Texas Rangers?

Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets warms up before the start of 2022 spring training.

Last year, deGrom went 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 11 starts with the Mets. In 2021 he went 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA in 15 games. He pitched 12 games in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, but is four seasons removed from a string of three straight 30-plus start seasons from 2017-2019 – during which he won back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019.

"I don't want to put a date on it, but we'd like to give him a few days and not rush this thing," Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters about when deGrom may throw off of the mound.