Shin-Soo Choo can see the Texas Rangers’ future. It has Leody Taveras batting first.
A team that sells at the trade deadline, as the Texas Rangers did Monday, is essentially sending the message that they are raising the white flag on the season.
Pump up the roster with prospects who aren’t quite ready for prime time, and that moves the white flag further up the pole.
For two games, though, the Rangers haven’t looked like a team just playing out rest of its games. They have done a lot well and played with some spunk, credit for which can go to those prospects and other young players on the roster.
“We’ve focused lately on a lot of things on how to improve and how to play better baseball,” manager Chris Woodward said. “There is a core to this group, just a younger core. Some of these guys have played together. They’re all getting a chance to bond and perform at this level.”
But the Rangers still have flaws and are working with one eye toward 2021.
That was evident Wednesday.
Here’s some Rangers Reaction from a 2-1 loss to the Houston Astros.
Leading off ...
Shin-Soo Choo might very well retire after this season, though he hasn’t decided what he’s going to do. If he plays another season, he would love for it to be with the Rangers.
He even said in spring training that he would sign for less, presumably substantially less, than the $21 million he was scheduled to make this season. The Rangers could use his bat and his experience to mentor young hitters, but they could also use his spot to get another player steady at-bats.
Whether he returns or retires, his goal is to leave the Rangers in a better place. To that end, he has relinquished leadoff duties to the player he believes will sit atop the lineup for years to come.
Center fielder Leody Taveras will bat first for the bulk his games the rest of the season, assuming he isn’t overwhelmed by the task. Nothing has seemed to overwhelm him so far.
Woodward didn’t have to twist Choo’s arm. He made the decision for Woodward.
“Choo is very understanding of where we sit as a team, the future of the team and was very open to that conversation,” Woodward said. “He brought that conversation to me, and it tells a lot about the character of Shin-Soo Choo.”
Taveras has been consulting with Choo about the leadoff spot at the suggestion of Woodward, who believes Choo gives the best at-bat on the team.
He might swing at the game’s first pitch if it’s one he can handle. If the Rangers are facing a pitcher they’ve never seen, Choo will try to take as many pitches as possible in his first at-bat to give his teammates a look at the pitcher’s arsenal.
Don’t expect Taveras to pick up on all of Choo’s tips by the end of the season, but he will catch on to some of them thanks to Choo letting go of the leadoff spot.
“I just applaud Leody for reaching out for Choo and Choo for understanding this may be best for our development and Leody’s development the last month,” Woodward said.
Allard good again
Opposing teams have one hit against left-hander Kolby Allard over the first five innings of his past two starts. That one hit, unfortunately for him, was a two-run homer Wednesday in the first inning by Michael Brantley.
The Rangers didn’t have enough offense to erase Brantley’s second homer in as many games.
But the takeaway should be how well Allard has pitched after two not-so-good starts at Colorado and at Seattle. He allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings Aug. 26 against Oakland and two in seven innings on only 79 pitches against the Astros.
“It should give him a ton of confidence,” Woodward said. “They hit lefties really well. It was really good. Unfortunately, it was just the one mistake. Otherwise, it was a really, really good outing.”
The Rangers could have up to three openings in the rotation to fill for next season. They have one now after trading Mike Minor, could have another if they don’t pick up the $18 million club option on Corey Kluber, and another could open up if they trade Lance Lynn.
Rather than sign a free agent who barely has a pulse, Allard should be handed a spot. Commit to him. Take all drama out of it. Tell him to spend the off-season preparing to make 30 starts in 2021.
Allard is never going to light up a radar gun, but he knows how to pitch with what stuff he has. His fellow pitchers marvel at the way he prepares himself and how he attacks hitters.
“I’ve just got to go out and continue to execute pitches,” Allard said. “I just want us go to out and get on a roll again. I think it’s going to be important to finish strong and to hit the ground running next year.”
The Rangers are going to give Kyle Cody a start Friday, though he will go only a few innings because he isn’t stretched out. Whoever is picked to piggy back Cody would potentially be in line for a start at some point, too.
That might indicate that the Rangers are planning to shed Kluber or Lynn, though a case can be made for keeping both. If nothing else, the Rangers can trade them at the 2021 deadline or hold them, make them a qualifying offer and potentially get draft-pick compensation in 2022.
The Rangers also need pitchers and need to at least give the appearance of fielding a competitive team. Having Lynn and Kluber in the rotation would go a long way toward that.
So would Allard.
“I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t the ultimate goal,” Allard said. “I want to make no doubt about that, but those decisions aren’t up to me.”
Offense off
Maybe I’m off on this, but it seems like the Rangers offense can’t do squat when facing a pitcher for the first time, as was the case Wednesday against Cristian Javier.
The rookie pitched into the seventh inning for the first time in his career, and allowed only one run on two hits in 6 2/3 innings.
“We didn’t really hit too many balls hard and he kept us off balance for some reason,” Woodward said.
The lone run was provided by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who hit his second homer of the season and the fifth of his career at Minute Maid Park.
Kiner-Falefa has only seven career home runs. The other two came at Progressive Field in Cleveland in 2018 and last month at Globe Life Field.
The Rangers had only two other hits, and they were singles by Joey Gallo and Ronald Guzman. Gallo one-hopped the right-field wall with his, and that it caromed directly to right fielder Kyle Tucker kept Choo from scoring and held Gallo at first.
Guzman’s pinch single, with one out in the eighth, was hit at 111 mph. He was out of the starting lineup because of sore fingers after getting hit there Tuesday, but Woodward said he will return Thursday for the series finale.
