30. Gaylord Perry

When the legendary Gaylord Perry joined Arlington in June 1975 through a mid-season trade from Cleveland, he brought with him an unrivaled reputation as baseball's top gamesman. A Cy Young winner and a tactician on the mound, the right-hander quickly assumed a leadership role in his late thirties, becoming the key competitive force for a young Texas Rangers team eager to establish itself in the American League West.

Perry commanded the strike zone with textbook precision, pairing his heavy, sinking fastball with a legendary, hyper-analyzed greaseball that kept hitters entirely off-balance. His first tour in Texas was an absolute masterclass in high-leverage durability. Over the second half of 1975 and the entirety of 1976 and 1977, he regularly swallowed up massive workloads for manager Frank Lucchesi, logging seasons of 184, 250, and 238 innings.

Although raw win-loss records for a developing team can hide a pitcher's true effectiveness, Perry's advanced metrics showed his genuine dominance. He expertly minimized damage on his own terms, finishing in the top five in the American League for Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) in every full season with Arlington. His initial stint with the team was highlighted by a remarkable 1977 season, during which he achieved 15 wins, struck out 177 batters, and posted an elite, team-leading 6.3 bWAR.

After that season, Perry was traded to San Diego—where he would instantly capture a historic second Cy Young Award—but his history with the Rangers wasn't finished. In a great late-career twist, the future Hall of Famer returned to Texas for a brief second tour in 1980, adding 24 more starts and 155.1 steady innings to his Rangers ledger before being dealt to the New York Yankees for a pennant chase.

Across four seasons in Texas over two separate tours (1975–1977, 1980), Perry made 112 appearances (all starts). He compiled a 48–43 record with a stellar 3.26 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He threw 827.2 innings, recording 49 complete games and 10 shutouts.  In 1991, Perry received the ultimate accolade when his name was called for the Baseball Hall of Fame.