With heavy lifting done, here’s what’s left on Texas Rangers’ offseason to-do list
Drew Butera has a good chance of being on the Texas Rangers’ Opening Day roster April 1 as the second catcher along with Jose Trevino.
There are no guarantees that the Rangers will add him to the 40-man roster and take on his $1 million salary, or at least that seems to be the trend across baseball as teams tighten the purse strings after a year with no fans, but the Rangers need a veteran presence behind the plate.
The signing itself is an indication of how the Rangers will flesh out the rest of their roster. Jon Daniels, president of baseball operations, said the Rangers won’t be making any headlines the rest of the offseason.
They’ve done their heavy lifting with the trades of Lance Lynn and Rafael Montero, and the acquisitions of outfielder David Dahl, first baseman Nate Lowe and right-hander Kohei Arihara. They also pushed Elvis Andrus off shortstop in favor of Gold Glove third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
The rest of the work will be done mostly out of sight, except for occasional ripples on MLBTradeRumors.com. There are still areas the Rangers need to address.
Starting rotation
Kyle Gibson, Jordan Lyles and Arihara have locked down rotation spots, and it would be a surprise if Dane Dunning, the main part of the return for Lynn, wasn’t also in there to open the season.
Kyle Cody could be the front-runner to be the fifth starter, based on how well he performed in a small sample to end 2020. There are several pitchers who will be part of the spring competition for a starting gig.
The problem facing the Rangers is that most candidates haven’t logged enough innings to handle a 30-start workload. Dunning falls into that grouping, too, which makes adding a starting pitcher a priority.
At the right price. And probably on a minor-league deal.
That likely means no Corey Kluber, who logged all of one inning in his only season with the Rangers. They attended his 30-pitch showcase Wednesday, but he is expected to command a deal that would go beyond the Rangers’ comfort zone.
Third base
The decision to move Kiner-Falefa to shortstop created an opening at third base, and it’s looking more likely that it will be filled internally.
Ultimately, top prospect Josh Jung could have the job by the time the season ends. He could have it at the All-Star break.
Until then, Andrus and second baseman Rougned Odor could form a quasi-platoon there barring the addition of another infielder.
The Rangers are looking at the same level as they are shopping for starting pitchers. They already signed veteran infielder Charlie Culberson to a minor-league deal, and he is likely to figure into the mix with Kiner-Falefa, Andrus, Odor and Nick Solak.
Solak played some third base in 2019, but the Rangers tasked him with focusing on second this offseason and in spring training. He could push Odor into more of a utility role, an idea that seems to have gained traction.
Even more depth
The addition of Butera gives the Rangers something they didn’t have — a veteran catcher. He’s never been an everyday player, but he’s played in the majors each of the past 11 seasons and can lend expertise to Trevino and, eventually, No. 2 prospect Sam Huff, who is expected to start the season at Triple A Round Rock.
It doesn’t hurt that he is a former Kansas City Royals teammate of new general manager Chris Young.
A team always loads up on catching ahead of spring training. The Rangers have Butera, who received an invitation to big-league camp in his deal, and four catchers on the 40-man roster. They could add depth via non-roster invitations throughout the organization or by signing free agents to minor-league deals.
The Rangers have added two right-handed relievers this month on minor-league deals, both with big-league experience and both with the last name Anderson.
Justin Anderson signed a two-year minor-league deal worth $875,000. He might not pitch in 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July while with the Los Angeles Angeles.
Drew Anderson doesn’t have nearly the experience of Justin, a native Texan, but has pitched briefly in the majors the past four seasons. He made one shaky appearance last season with the Chicago White Sox.
Upcoming deals
Friday is a big deal in baseball. It’s the first day for clubs and arbitration-eligible players to exchange salary figures, and also the relocated day for international free-agent signings.
The Rangers have two arb-eligibles: Kiner-Falefa and right fielder Joey Gallo, who also won a Gold Glove in 2020. The Rangers have yet to pursue extension talks with Gallo, who has said many times he wants to stay with the Rangers on a long-term deal.
Most extensions in the Jon Daniels Era have been signed in spring training or early in the regular season.
The annual July 2 signing period was pushed back six months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When it opens Friday, the Rangers are expected to sign outfielder Yeison Morrobel from the Dominican Republic and shortstop Danyer Cueva from Venezuela.
