Apr 5, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) throws to first in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The Texas Rangers are turning over a new leaf in 2021, and that doesn’t mean just saying goodbye to a horrendous 2020 that treated us all so poorly.
The headline of the offseason for Texas was general manager Jon Daniels stepping aside and assuming the role of President of Baseball Operations, a move that coincided with the Rangers bringing in Chris Young to succeed Daniels as general manager.
Young, a former big-league pitcher of 13 years and five teams – including the 2004-05 seasons with Texas – spent the previous two years as an MLB executive after retiring from his playing career in 2018.
The opportunity to cut his teeth as the decision maker for the Rangers is a perfect one. The only expectation of the club this season is to gain valuable experience, grow and build toward the future.
Young is charged with that task, and there obviously is no track record to base any kind of predictions for his success on. He will be gaining valuable experience, growing and attempting to build himself into a top-flight player personnel decision maker.
Long gone are the glory days of 2009-14. In fact, the 2021 version of the Boys of Arlington resembles more of the Cleveland Indians’ roster from the 1989 hit movie Major League.
Elvis Andrus remains as the elder statesman of the club, although his role will dramatically change. Andrus was told by Texas early in the offseason to start working at third base, as Isiah Kiner-Falefa is slated to slide over from third to shortstop to replace Andrus, now 32 years old.
While Kiner-Falefa has had great success playing the hot corner, where he won the AL Gold Glove just a year ago, he has made his lifelong desire of being a Major League shortstop known. The fourth-year veteran will get his opportunity beginning this spring.
Who knows what will come of Rougned Odor, who started his career off hot after bursting onto the scene in 2014 – and busting into Jose Bautista’s jaw in 2016. While quite the fan favorite at the time, Odor’s popularity has soured of late, as he hit just .207 and continued to play lackluster defense at second base from 2017-20.
First base might be an open book at first glance, but it’s expected that newcomer Nate Lowe will be able to supplant “The Condor,” Ronald Guzman. Lowe is just a year younger than Guzman and, while Guzman possesses superior defensive skills at the position, Lowe projects to be a bigger threat at the plate.
Daniels said the Rangers had interest in Lowe for some time, and they were finally able to pull the trigger on a deal to acquire him from the Tampa Bay Rays for prospects Osleivis Basabe, Heriberto Hernandez and Alexander Ovalles over the winter.
Joey Gallo will play every day in right field, looking to remain healthy and provide the gaudy power numbers he is more than capable of producing. Gallo blasted 41 home runs in 2017 another 40 in 2018, his last two true full seasons.
Young phenom Leodys Tavares, 22, looks to be the everyday center fielder. Newly-signed David Dahl aims to man left field on a regular basis, Willie Calhoun hopes to continue growing as an effective young force at the plate as the designated hitter, and Jose Trevino will get plenty of opportunities behind the dish as the team’s likely regular at catcher.
The pitching staff will see many fresh, new faces throughout the season.
The rotation will be spearheaded by veterans Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles. Kohei Arihara, recently signed away from the Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan, will aim to eat a lot of innings in the middle of the rotation.
Wes Benjamin, Kyle Cody, Kolby Allard and Dane Dunning – the prized piece in another deal with Tampa Bay that sent Lance Lynn to Chicago – are projected to vie for rotation spots four and five.
Closer Jose Leclerc highlights a bullpen that will likely feature a mixture of Jonathan Hernandez, Taylor Hearn, Jimmy Herget, Brett Martin, John King, Demarcus Evans and Brett de Geus, among others.
While the names might not be sexy and the hopes not very high in 2021, many questions surrounding the Rangers will get answered – we suspect.
The two most pressing questions are: How will Elvis adjust, and what is the reality of Rougie?
