The wait for this milestone is nearly over for Rangers’ Chirinos

At some point this homestand, possibly, and almost certainly before the season ends, barring something unforeseen, Robinson Chirinos will start his 100th game of the season at catcher.

And don’t think that doesn’t have meaning to him.

“It’s what I’ve been working for since I had my first opportunity in 2012,” Chirinos said Monday.

Chirinos played his 100th game Sunday at San Diego, but needs four more starts to reach the century mark. The 96 starts are eight more than his pervious career high, set in 2014.

He didn’t move any closer in the opener of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, as he was on the bench in favor of rookie Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

He understands that the rebuilding Rangers want to develop Kiner-Falefa and respects their right to do so. That doesn’t mean he likes it.

“I don’t agree with what they’re doing, but it’s out of my hands,” Chirinos said.

That is nothing against Kiner-Falefa and everything to do with how Chirinos feels and what he believes he can do when healthy. He can start 100 games, maybe 120, a season, and he wants the chance to show it rather than playing in no more than back-to-back games as has been the case of late.

“I don’t like it,” Chirinos said. “It’s too hard. It’s hard to get in a rhythm. I think it’s hard on everybody. I don’t make those decisions.”

The good news is that Chirinos has avoided injury and saw the Rangers trade away Jonathan Lucroy a day before the trade deadline last season.

A left/non-throwing shoulder injury struck Chirinos in 2015, and a broken right forearm got him early in 2016 before the Rangers added Lucroy on Aug. 1. Chirinos entered both of those seasons as the No. 1 catcher before entering last season as the backup to Lucroy.

But Chirinos has been the undisputed No. 1 catcher since Lucroy went to the Colorado Rockies on July 30, 2017. Chirinos figures to be in the same role next season with the Rangers expected to exercise their club option for $2,375,000.

That’s a bargain price for a 100-start catcher who needs one more home run to set a career-high with 18. He is likely to start somewhere around 63 percent of the Rangers’ 162 games this season.

The Rangers are comfortable with that number, noting in the past that Chirinos is at his best when he isn’t asked to catch three or four consecutive games.

“Just the wear and tear, especially here,” manager Jeff Banister said. “Just the travel and the heat, I think that’s probably the right amount.”

The importance of starting 100 games at catcher isn’t lost on Banister. Only seven catchers, entering Monday, had started 100 games, and Chirinos was 10th in MLB in games started.

It isn’t easy to stay healthy. Foul tips can lead to concussions, which Chirinos has experienced in the past, or broken fingers and toes or a variety of other injuries. That doesn’t include the peril of getting hit by a pitch, which led to the broken arm in 2016, or any potential injuries running the bases.

Chirinos said he isn’t sure how many games he could start in a season, a healthy season, though he thinks 115 to 120 is doable. He said that because he knows how good he feels four shy of 100.

“I stayed healthy the last two years, and I think that’s been the key to catch this many games and be on the field,” Chirinos said. “I thankful to these guys for the opportunity to go out there and try to help this team win.

“I feel great. My body feels good. If I told you right now I’m tired, I’m lying to you and myself. My body feels good, my shoulders, my legs. I feel really good. The way my body feels right now, I can tell you I can catch over 100 games. Where we’re at right now, I feel great.”

This story was originally published September 17, 2018 at 7:59 PM.