Ronald Guzman trying to stake claim that first base with Texas Rangers is still his
The issue of what to do at first base appeared to be settled last month by the Texas Rangers when they acquired Nate Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays.
He would push aside Ronald Guzman, the former heralded prospect and defensive specialist who has yet to hit enough in the big leagues and is out of minor-league options.
Guzman, though, has pushed back.
He was the MVP of the Dominican Winter League, hitting .360 with a .450 on-base percentage and a .523 slugging percentage for Gigantes del Cibao in 111 at-bats over 30 games. He swatted five homers and drew 17 walks while striking out 23 times.
The numbers indicate that Guzman might have put everything together at the plate, especially a better approach.
For a team that was dreadful offensively in 2020, the Rangers would be inclined to see if the performance translates against better competition. Guzman didn’t have to face Shane Bieber or Lance Lynn, for instance, in the Dominican Republic.
For now, less than a month from the start of spring training, nothing much has changed, but some eyes have been opened.
“We made the deal with the hope that Nate would lay claim to the job,” said Jon Daniels, president of baseball operations. “There is a level of competition, but if we don’t make that deal, we’re not expecting or intending that he’s going to win that position.
“I love what Ronald’s done this winter,” he said, adding that some of the team’s local scouts and video reports have been consistent with in their assessment. “His swing seems to be in a really good spot and confidence-wise he’s in a really good spot.
“I would love to be forced into a tough decision of having too many players.”
With rosters expected to be at 26 instead of an expanded 28 or 30 as they were last season to account for any COVID-19 issues, it might be difficult for the Rangers to carry two left-handed-hitting first basemen.
They also have left field and designated hitter locked up between the lefty-hitting David Dahl and Willie Calhoun.
The Rangers, though, can’t sacrifice the chance to score more runs for roster flexibility. If Guzman proves to be a force offensively, manager Chris Woodward said he will figure out how to get Guzman a fair number of at-bats.
“For him to go out and do what he did has got to help him move forward with us,” Woodward said. “For him to do that, clearly it’s a real positive for him coming into camp.
“I told him, ‘We’ll find room. We’ll find a way to make it all work.’ That’s a problem we want to have. We don’t have the problem of having, ‘OK, who do we choose? We don’t like either one.’”
That’s the way first base was last summer, when neither Guzman nor Greg Bird did enough to seize the job. Instead, Isiah-Kiner Falefa won a spot at third base and pushed Todd Frazier to first.
Guzman made the Opening Day roster but spent weeks at the alternate camp before returning in August. He batted .244 and posted a career-best .750 OPS with four homers in 78 at-bats over 26 games.
That didn’t convince the Rangers to make Guzman their first baseman in 2021, and they acquired Lowe on Dec. 10 in a six-player deal.
It appears Guzman took that trade to heart. Maybe he’s just a late-bloomer, like occasional workout partner and former Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz. Either way, Guzman has given the Rangers something to consider.
“I don’t know how it plays out, but it usually does play itself out,” Woodward said. ”But he’s got to be in a really good mind-set coming to spring training.”
