What does the future hold for Danny Santana? Rangers are fine with more of the same.
What does the future look like for Danny Santana?
If he deserves to be in the Texas Rangers’ starting lineup every day in 2020, as he has been during a tremendous 2019 season, does that mean manager Chris Woodward needs to find an everyday position for him?
Not necessarily.
In fact, Woodward is intrigued by Santana’s versatility, and is even looking to see that versatility expanded.
Santana, who turns 29 in November, is likely to play third base for the first time on the Rangers’ upcoming road trip, Woodward said. It will be the seventh position he has played in 2019. Only pitching and catching seem out of his range.
As the Rangers close out the final two months with an obvious move toward younger players, Woodward is keeping one eye on 2020 and how to best utilize his roster. Of course, next year’s 25-man roster is far from known, but the core is pretty clear, barring any massive off-season trades.
Where does that leave Santana, who is leading Texas in batting, though he doesn’t yet qualify in number of at-bats? The switch-hitter was batting .330 entering Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers at Globe Life Park.
Santana has averaged 4.16 plate appearances a game since the All-Star break. He needs to average 3.72 a game the rest of the season to qualify for league-leader status, or 502 total plate appearances.
“I’d like to have seven guys who play one spot every day,” Woodward said. “I don’t know if that’s going to be the case.”
But Woodward also likes having someone such as Santana as a super-utility player who can be slotted just about anywhere around the diamond. And that’s how Santana would prefer it. He told Woodward he likes moving around.
“If you have a guy like that, maybe it makes sense,” he said. “He’s going to play. He’s got to play somewhere.”
If forced to pick a spot, Woodward said center field seems fit for Santana’s skills.
“Center field is probably one position I could see where he could really flourish,” he said. “With his speed, his arm and his power, his on-base. Switch-hitter. There’s nobody like that.”
But where does that leave Joey Gallo, who played 38 games before his injury this season? Or Delino DeShields, who started in center Saturday night for the 70th game? Presumably, the Rangers expect Ronald Guzman to rebound from a rough offensive season and return as the No. 1 option at first base in 2020. Defensively, at least, Guzman has been outstanding. His ability to stretch for throws and dig short-hopped balls in the dirt has saved untold runs.
With that many variables, perhaps it’s best to keep Santana mobile. He not only gives Woodward a valuable option to spell everyday starters, but he is an option to fill in for extended stretches in the case of injuries.
“We’ll see what our roster looks like in the offseason,” Woodward said. “Right now, it’s really nice to have a guy you can move around.”
