Rangers What-Ifs: Derek Holland

With the season a couple of months away, what has to break right for the Rangers to contend again in 2015?

What if Derek Holland can finally get his act together for a full season and realize his immense talent, a level which would likely make him a very good No. 2 starter and possibly a borderline No. 1? What if Holland can avoid injuries after missing all but a month of 2014 after falling down stairs? What if he can pick up where he left off from September, when he was tremendous without the benefit of a real rehab assignment?

After the way his 2014 season went with that freak injury that got the Rangers' injury train rolling well before spring training even began, it'd be a welcomed development.

The Rangers' problems in 2014 were too many to list here, but their lack of offensive punch due to injuries was a big one. Perhaps more than that was the lack of quality starting pitching, which burned through the team's bullpen and saw it get burned out by June, when they consequently began to fall out of contention.

Holland was hoping to return by May, then it became June 1, then it became after the all-star break in July, then, it ended up being September. And while the games were meaningless, Holland was phenomenal and gave Rangers fans something to look forward to in 2015.

Holland started five games, tossing 37 innings (including one relief appearance) and went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA with 25 strikeouts and just five walks.

Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
Contact Us