Things are heating up in the desert! Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona, Spring Training home of the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers, is getting crowded. Spring Training officially began when the pitchers and catchers reported on February 14th. The remaining members of the squad arrived and began workouts on Monday, February 19th. Rangers Spring Training games kick off on Friday, February 23rd, 2024 against the Kansas City Royals. As we look to the beginning of the season, let’s take a look at what the Opening Day roster could look like.
The Infield
The Rangers infield is one of the most solid infields in the league. Opening Day will see Nathaniel Lowe at first base, Marcus Semien at second, Corey Seager at shortstop, Josh Jung manning the hot corner, and Jonah Heim behind the plate. While the young Jungle Cat is nursing a calf strain, I expect he’ll make the Opening Day roster. Corey Seager’s presence is slightly more questionable. However, I still hold to the assumption that he will be back at full strength for Opening Day.
There are a few options for changes to that roster; however, they are unlikely. Justin Foscue has been taking balls at first, and it seems as if he is being set up to play backup to Lowe when necessary. Likewise, newcomer Andrew Knizner will be on the bench as backup for Heim. In the event that Josh Jung has not yet recovered from his injury, I expect that we’ll see Josh H Smith or Ezequiel Duran on third. However, the injuries of Jung and Seager could leave an opening for a prospect to slide in on the Opening Day roster. Matt Duffy could step in at third, leaving shortstop open for Smith or Duran.
The Outfield
Opening Day will find El Bombi (Adolis Garcia) defending right field as he did in 2023. Center field belongs to Leody Taveras, while the Little Savior Evan Carter will be manning left field. However, I could also see a shift in the outfield if Wyatt Langford gets the call-up. That call-up could see Carter shift to center field, leaving left field open for Langford.
Designated Hitter
With the departure of Mitch Garver, the Rangers will be in want of a new designated hitter. There are several fantastic options on that front. My ideal candidate is Travis Jankowski. While Jankowski’s bat is not the most powerful, he is a steady presence in front of the plate, and if he reaches, the likelihood that he steals a bag is fairly high. Another viable option is Wyatt Langford. In the minor leagues, Langford’s bat has been hot. He climbed quickly from the Arizona Complex League Rangers to the AAA Round Rock Express in a matter of two months. It seems his speed could rival Jankowski’s with an even more powerful bat which might give him a leg up on Jankowski.
Pitching Rotation
The pitching rotation is currently shaky at best. The Rangers’ star pitchers Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Tyler Mahle will all begin the season on the injured list, leaving the starting rotation at Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, and Dane Dunning for certain. The rest of the starting rotation is very much subjective and will likely depend on how Spring Training works out for the rest of the lineup. We could see Jake Leiter called up to fill the void until the aces return.
The bullpen is much more steady than that of the starting rotation. Chris Young and Bruce Bochy made moves this offseason to bolster a very shaky bullpen in the 2023 season. David Robertson and Kirby Yates move in to take the slots left behind by the departure of Will Smith, Chris Stratton, and Aroldis Chapman. While Robertson is a proven closer, I think Jose LeClerc earned his spot as the closer, at least for the time being.
Recap
First Base – Nathaniel Lowe
Second Base – Marcus Semien
Third Base – Josh Jung
Shortstop – Josh H. Smith
Catcher – Jonah Heim
Right Field – Adolis Garcia
Center Field – Leody Tavaras
Left Field – Evan Carter
Designated Hitter – Travis Jankowski
Starting Pitcher – Nathan Eovaldi
Relief Pitchers – David Anderson, Josh Sborz, Kirby Yates
Closer – Jose LeClerc
On the Bench – Justin Foscue, Andrew Knizner, Josh H Smith, Ezequiel Duran, Wyatt Langford
