Tuesday Newsletter time: Texas Rangers acquire former Los Angeles Dodgers players ... just not the big-name free agents
The Rangers are sending cash considerations for outfielders Billy McKinney and Zach Reks, who were designated for assignment Friday,.
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The Texas Rangers cleared a couple of spots Friday on the 40-man roster in anticipation of potential moves with the offseason market heating up.
The first thought, naturally, was that a free-agent signing was imminent. Who would it be? One of the shortstops they’ve been courting? Maybe a player who doesn’t have a qualifying offer attached?
Well … .
The Rangers completed a trade Monday with the Los Angeles Dodgers, acquiring outfielder Billy McKinney and Zach Reks for cash considerations. They had been designated for assignment Friday.
They’re not exactly free agents Corey Seager or Clayton Kershaw.
The moves come at a time when the Rangers are still trying to create depth in the system, though McKinney and Reks appear to have a chance to make the Opening Day roster.
They have to survive not being DFA’d again this offseason. The Rangers plan on adding players who will make a bigger impact, and have only one 40-man spot open after the trade.
But the Rangers believe McKinney and Reks could blossom with the right chance.
“They are two left-handed hitters who we think have more ability than they’ve had the opportunity to show just yet,” president of baseball operations Jon Daniels said.
McKinney might be familiar to Metroplex baseball fans. He went to Plano West High School and was the Oakland A’s first-round pick (24th overall) in 2013. He never played for the A’s.
They traded him to the Chicago Cubs, who traded him to the New York Yankees, who traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays, who designated him for assignment. The Milwaukee Brewers plucked him off waivers last offseason and traded him in May to the New York Mets, who traded him in July to the Dodgers, who traded him to the Rangers.
Whew. That’s eight teams for the 27-year-old.
Reks, 28, had only been with the Dodgers, who drafted him in the 10th round in 2017. He swatted 28 homers in 2019 between Double A and Triple A, and connected for 19 last season at Triple A.
He made his MLB debut June 21 and was 0-for-10 in two stints for the Dodgers.
McKinney and Reks join a group of several unproven outfielders, including former Dodgers teammate D.J. Peters. The Rangers could still attempt to upgrade in the outfield this offseason via free agency or trade.
Suzuki officially posted
Good news for our man John Moore, the Recliner Nerd and conductor of the Seiya Suzuki train: Suzuki, one of the best players in Nippon Professional Baseball, has been posted by the Hiroshima Carp and is available to work out a deal with any MLB team.
The assumption is that the Rangers, who have long had a strong presence in Japan, will be in the mix for the right fielder. Suzuki hits for average and power, and it would seem likely that he could handle a move from right field to left to allow Adolis Garcia to stay in right.
The posting window is open for 30 days. If he doesn’t reach an agreement, he returns to the Carp. If he does, the team that signs him has to pay the Carp a percentage of the final deal.
Industry publications have projected that Suzuki will make just north of $50 million, which will result in around a $10 million payday for the Carp.
The Rangers signed Kohei Arihara from Japan last year, though for only a two-year, $6.2 million deal. They have had more success in recent years signing relievers who came from Japan, including Tony Barnette, Chris Martin, Joely Rodriguez and Spencer Patton.
Five years already?
The 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot was unveiled Monday morning.
There are 17 holdovers from the 2021 ballot and 13 newcomers.
As I went down the ballot, which is listed in alphabetical order, I stopped at F. That’s where Prince Fielder is listed for the first time.
It will likely be the only time, with players required to received 5% of the vote in order to stay on the ballot. But that isn’t what struck me.
Is anyone else blown away that it’s been five years since he announced his retirement from the Rangers?
A second neck injury, following the one that cost him much of the 2014 season, forced Fielder to give up baseball. He was an All-Star and the Comeback Player of the Year in 2015, but slumped badly in 2016 with the same swing characteristics and results as in 2014 that were a sign something was wrong physically.
He finished his career with 319 home runs — the same total as his father, Cecil — and was baseball’s Iron Man until he came to the Rangers in a trade with the Detroit Tigers for Ian Kinsler and cash.
Fielder’s injury in 2014 was one of many that foiled the Rangers and put them in motion for a 96-loss season. They won the American League West the next two seasons, but the trade was largely a disaster.
Fielder came to the Rangers with seven years and $198 million left on his contract. The Tigers sent $22 million and the contract came with insurance up to 50%, but the Rangers still took a bath on the trade.
Oh, and they still don’t have an answer at first base.
Fielder is one of eight former Rangers on the ballot. The most notable is Alex Rodriguez, who won the 2003 AL MVP with the Rangers but was twice suspended for the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The others: outfielder Andruw Jones, closer Joe Nathan, catcher A.J. Pierzynski, outfielder Sammy Sosa, first baseman Mark Teixeira and shortstop Omar Vizquel.
Right-hander Tim Lincecum and outfielder Manny Ramirez are on the ballot. They played briefly at Triple A Round Rock but never made the big-league roster.
I do have Hall of Fame vote. My ballot is in the mail. Last year, I voted for Jones, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jeff Kent, Curt Schilling, Scott Rolen, Gary Sheffield, and Billy Wagner.
Doggy video!
Or too late getting home from the bar. Enjoy. See you Wednesday … possibly.
Ruh, roh....did you vote for Rolen twice (heh, heh)?