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Texas Rangers Sign Former All-Star Infielder Josh Harrison to Minor League Deal

The Philadelphia Phillies let Josh Harrison go earlier in August, and now the infielder has a chance to help the Texas Rangers this fall.
Sam Connon|
Texas Rangers Sign Former All-Star Infielder Josh Harrison to Minor League Deal
Texas Rangers Sign Former All-Star Infielder Josh Harrison to Minor League Deal

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Texas RangersPittsburgh Pirates

The Texas Rangers have signed infielder Josh Harrison to a minor league deal, MSM Sports announced Tuesday.

The Philadelphia Phillies designated Harrison for assignment back on Aug. 1, and he was released the next day. The 36-year-old former All-Star was fresh off a two-week stint on the injured list, but he struggled upon his return and lost his spot on the Phillies' 40-man roster as a result.

Harrison hit .204 with two home runs, 10 RBI and a .554 OPS in 40 games with Philadelphia this season.

According to his agency, Harrison will report to Triple-A Round Rock.

The Phillies were already Harrison's sixth team in the last six years, and now he has a shot at making it seven if the Rangers decide to call him up.

Although he hit .291 with a .794 OPS as a member of the Washington Nationals in 2020 and 2021, Harrison has not seen as much success at the plate at his other recent destinations. Harrison had a .480 OPS with the Detroit Tigers in 2019, a .637 OPS with the Oakland Athletics in 2021 and a .687 OPS with the Chicago White Sox in 2022.

Prior to his recent journeyman phase, Harrison spent eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, making the MLB All-Star Game in 2014 and 2017. Harrison finished ninth in NL MVP voting in 2014, hitting .315 with 13 homers, 52 RBI, 18 stolen bases, 38 doubles and an .837 OPS.

Harrison was a .290 hitter from 2014 to 2017, all while splitting time between second, third and the outfield.

The Rangers are in need of infielder help, as rookie sensation Josh Jung recently went on the injured list with a fractured thumb. Utility men Ezequiel Duran and Josh H. Smith have filled in for Jung at third base over the past week, but the latter is hitting just .177 with a .458 OPS in that time.

Harrison could also give All-Star Marcus Semien some time off at second base if he gets called up, considering Semien has missed just one game in the last three seasons combined. 

September call-ups are a little over two weeks away, which could open the door for Harrison to return to major league action.

Texas currently has a 3.5-game lead on the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West, and FanGraphs gives them a 94.4% chance of making the postseason.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer covering baseball for “Fastball on SI.’’ He previously covered UCLA Athletics for On SI’s All Bruins site, and is a UCLA graduate, with his work there as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for On SI’s New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Sam lives in Boston.

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