The Texas Rangers entered Thursday with a 27-37 record, good for last place in the American League West. Barring a dramatic turnaround, the Rangers will miss the postseason for a second consecutive season.

Yet general manager Jon Daniels doesn't have to worry about his job security. Rather, Daniels has all the assurance he needs he'll continue to run the show in Texas. That's because on Thursday word leaked that he had agreed to a multiyear extension, paving the way for him to remain in charge beyond 2018:

Though Daniels is only 40 years old, he's served as the Rangers general manager since October 2005. Texas has seen a good deal of success under his watch, with the Rangers reaching the postseason five times and experiencing seven winning seasons in 12 (and counting) tries. The Rangers won the American League pennant in both 2010 and 2011.

The past two seasons haven't been as kind to Daniels and the Rangers, with Texas seeing a number of moves backfire -- Rougned Odor's $49.5 million extension and Mike Minor's three-year, $21 million free-agent contract among them so far. It's fair to think changes are on the horizon. The Rangers no longer have the benefit of an elite farm system, as they did years and years ago. Nowadays, they're considered to have a middle-of-the-pack farm system, meaning their room for internal improvement hinges on how their younger hitters -- like Odor, Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, and Ronald Guzman -- develop in the coming years. 

On the bright side, Daniels should have the ability to make some splashes this winter. The Rangers have around $70 million tied up in 2019 commitments -- a figure that could drop if they opt to trade Cole Hamels at the deadline. It's conceivable, if not outright likely, that the Rangers will make a run at the top stars in this winter's free-agent class, including Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. Whether they land either is to be seen.

Whatever the case, Daniels will be a most busy man in the coming months. At least he can proceed now in rearranging his roster knowing full well he's got time on his side.