Texas Rangers revamped their middle infield. It’s been an early-season success story.
What is happening now from the No. 2 hole or No. 5 or No. 6 hole, depending on where Nick Solak in the Texas Rangers’ lineup, is what he expected all along.
“I’ve always hit,” he said two weeks ago.
That was after he had started to come out of his season-opening slump by hitting .417 in the series at Tampa Bay, where he was told by manager Chris Woodward and veteran infielder Brock Holt to stop pressing.
Show up, prepare, play and see what happens.
Maybe it was Woodward’s years of experience as an MLB player and coach. Maybe it was the power of Holt’s mustache and years of experience. Maybe it was just that Solak has always hit.
He hasn’t stopped hitting since the series at Tropicana Field.
On the other side of second base, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa is hitting again, too. He carried a six-game hitting streak into the Rangers’ game Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Angels and has been one of the game’s best defensive players this season.
Kiner-Falefa and Solak formed the Rangers’ first new Opening Day double-play combination since 2014. Gone are shortstop Elvis Andrus and second baseman Rougned Odor, whose expiring contracts and inconsistent individual performances were standing in the way of team progress.
It’s early in the season. The Rangers have just under 140 games remaining. Things can change.
But the Solak-for-Odor swap at second base and the Andrus-for-Kiner-Falefa swap at shortstop are working.
“They’ve been good. They’ve been really good,” manager Chris Woodward said. “A big part of the reason we put those guys out there was just their consistency from a mentality standpoint. They just don’t take a pitch off. They’re taking a ton of information out there with them, and they just set the tone for our entire defensive team every pitch.”
Solak gets hot
Solak entered Tuesday with some touting him as the Rangers’ best player to date. He has worked hard to clean up his defense, which was one of the Rangers’ main concerns when giving him second base, and his bat has awakened.
He was 0 for 3 on Monday, though he reached on a hit by pitch, but is batting .366 in his past 11 games. He’s batting .286 overall with a .863 OPS.
His five homers are tied for second on the team, and his .375 on-base percentage is second on the team among qualifying players.
“Recently, his numbers speak for themselves,” Woodward said. “He’s been punishing baseballs.”
Kiner-Falefa went through an 0-for-19 skid but rebounded with hits in six straight as Woodward dropped him from atop the lineup against right-handed pitchers. Kiner-Falefa said the slump was a by-product of trying to do too much, as was the case with Solak.
The 2020 American League Gold Glove winner at third base, Kiner-Falefa entered Tuesday tied for the MLB lead in defensive runs saved by a shortstop.
Solak’s defense has been the most pleasant surprise. He is constantly working on it before games, especially on turning double plays, and the improvements from last season and even early this spring are noticeable.
“He’s busting his tail off to prove to everybody that he’s a defensive second baseman, and he’s showing it all around.” Kiner-Falefa said. “He’s probably one of our best players right now, offensively and defensively. So any time you can have that production from anyone on your team, it’s awesome to have.”
Odor, Andrus updates
Meanwhile in The Bronx, Odor has a new home and is finding semi-regular at-bats with the New York Yankees. No longer weighed down by his massive beard, Odor entered Tuesday with three homers in 44 at-bats and has one more strikeout than hits.
He had only seven hits, which amounted to a .158 average, but the Yankees like the energy and swagger he has brought to them since being designated for assignment by the Rangers at the end of spring training and shipped away for two Yankees prospects.
Once first baseman Luke Voit returns from injury, Odor will become a bench player — and an expensive one at that. That’s OK for the Yankees, as the Rangers are playing all but the league minimum of the $12.33 million Odor is owed this season.
The Rangers are also supplementing payment on the remainder of Andrus’ contract after trading him in February to Oakland. It’s been a struggle so far for Andrus, who entered Tuesday batting only .158 (12 for 76) with a .197 slugging percentage.
Again, it’s very early in the season. Slumps, hot streaks and injuries could all befall the four middle infielders the rest of the way.
As the first month of the season draws to a close, though, the Rangers are pleased with how their new middle infielders, Kiner-Falefa and Solak, have performed.
“They’re a big part of our core of who we’re trying to be,” Woodward said. “When you look at our team, the way it plays and how they play, they’re two representatives of exactly the style of play that we want.”
