Corey Kluber gives Texas Rangers a solid rotation, but I Don’t Know is still at third
Two months into the baseball offseason, the Texas Rangers have taken one big loss (Anthony Rendon chose the Los Angeles Angels) but rebounded with one big win (trading for two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber).
The rotation is filled (Kyle Gibson, Jordan Lyles), which the Rangers think is good, but they still don’t have a third baseman.
That brings to mind the classic Abbott and Costello routine, Who’s on First.
(Google it, kiddos.)
With the new year dawning and spring training creeping closer, the Rangers’ third baseman is I Don’t Know.
That’s a problem.
Here’s a look at where the Rangers’ roster stands six weeks away from the start of spring training.
Third is still first
The Rangers badly wanted Rendon, but reportedly didn’t offer the necessary seventh year that would’ve convinced him to play in his home state.
As such, third base remains the club’s top priority, and quality options are dwindling.
Josh Donaldson remains available through free agency, though the Rangers might not want to pony up the necessary years for an aging player.
Nolan Arenado’s name remains in the rumor mill, but he’s owed just about as much as Rendon, can opt out of his contract after next season, would require the Rangers sending multiple top prospects to the Colorado Rockies, and his home/road splits are cause for concern.
He’ll be a premier defender wherever he plays, but his bat sure plays much better at Coors Field than not at altitude. Of course, that’s the case for everyone.
Next up on the list of third baseman thought to be available is Miguel Andujar of the New York Yankees. There’s a lot to like there, though his inexperience might not make him an ideal fit for the middle of a lineup.
None of the internal candidates did enough in 2019 to convince the Rangers that their answer at third is already in the organization. Besides, they could be needed elsewhere.
Rotation set
The starting rotation was going to be better than the 2019 version with the additions of Gibson and Lyles, veterans on the upswing, but the trade for Kluber has reshaped the Rangers’ chances at the postseason.
The Rangers are confident he is healthy after a broken left arm and a strained oblique last season. He is confident, too, so that should be good enough to ease concerns.
He vaults to the top of the rotation, ahead of Mike Minor, the lone left-hander, and Lance Lynn. It will be difficult for them to duplicate what they did in 2019, but they’re still going to be quality pitchers.
The Rangers’ rotation, on paper, rivals and possibly surpasses the rotation that guided the Rangers through the stretch run and to the World Series in 2010.
Don’t forget about the group of starters headed to Triple A or Double A -- you know, the depth that has been missing the past several seasons. The group is headed by lefties Kolby Allard, Joe Palumbo, Brock Burke and Taylor Hearn, and also includes right-handers Tyler Phillips, Jason Bahr, Kyle Cody and Ariel Jurado.
The Rangers will stretch out Jonathan Hernandez to start, but his arm will be needed in relief.
Speaking of ...
Bullpen help needed?
The trade for Kluber cost the Rangers young reliever Emmanuel Clase, whose 100 mph heater will be hard to replace. Hernandez, and maybe Hearn, could come close.
Jesse Chavez will be the veteran every bullpen needs, and he can pitch a little, too. Edinson Volquez could join him in a mentor’s roles, though he will be in camp on the minor-league deal.
Jose Leclerc enters the spring at closer, and Rafael Montero will return to a prominent set-up role. Nick Goody, a waiver claim, has a major-league contract, and so does lefty Joely Rodriguez.
That leaves two spots for a large cast of candidates, most of them young. Give a spot to Hernandez, and then choose between Brett Martin and Jeffrey Springs to be a second lefty.
If the Rangers do stay with Hernandez as a starter, don’t be surprised if rookie Demarcus Evans makes the club. And, of course, there’s always a chance the Rangers add a reliever late as they did last year with Shawn Kelley.
Outfield in motion
The Kluber trade sent Delino DeShields to Cleveland, and leaves Danny Santana as the primary center fielder. The Nomar Mazara trade during the winter meetings allows Joey Gallo to move to right field and Willie Calhoun to handle left.
Shin-Soo Choo played more games in the outfield last season, albeit out of necessity, than at designated hitter, but he’s also in the mix.
The Rangers could look to add a seasoned center fielder, especially if they don’t land a third baseman and need Santana there. Scott Heineman can play all three outfield spots, and the Rangers have toyed with giving Nick Solak time on the grass.
The key for the outfield is for everyone to stay healthy, especially Gallo. That might be the No. 1 key for the team.
The rest must improve
Just because the Rangers have players at first base, second base, shortstop and catcher doesn’t mean those positions don’t need to be addressed.
They certainly do.
Shortstop is the least of the Rangers’ concerns of those four, with Elvis Andrus determined to improve on a season that fell short of expectations. He’s been told he must be better.
Rougned Odor also must improve at second base after hitting .205 in 2019. He also hit 30 home runs and finished with a strong September, but he has to prove that the final month wasn’t a mirage. If it was, Solak is standing by.
Ronald Guzman is a defensive whiz at first base, but the Rangers can’t have another season of subpar offensive production. The same can be said of catchers Jeff Mathis and Jose Trevino, strong defensively but weak with the bat.
Give Trevino some credit, though, for how he swung it to finish the season.
