Rangers exercise '17 option on C Lucroy, will offer Desmond

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) The Texas Rangers have exercised their $5.25 million club option for next season on catcher Jonathan Lucroy and will extend a $17.2 million qualifying offer to All-Star outfielder Ian Desmond.

General manager Jon Daniels also said Thursday that the AL West champion Rangers won't make qualifying offers to first baseman Mitch Moreland or right-hander Colby Lewis, but are open to bringing back those free agents.

The Rangers aren't expected to exercise an $11 million team option for left-hander Derek Holland, but trading him could be an option before Monday's deadline. There is a $1.5 million buyout on the contract for the pitcher who has missed much of the last three seasons with injuries.

Designated hitter Carlos Beltran, acquired in an Aug. 1 trade with the New York Yankees, and left fielder Carlos Gomez, signed in August after being released by Houston, also became free agents.

Texas signed Desmond during spring training, and got Lucroy in a trade from Milwaukee on Aug. 1.

Lucroy hit .276 with 11 homers and 31 RBIs in 47 games for the Rangers after being acquired. The two-time All-Star catcher hit .299 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs in 95 games for the Brewers before that.

Desmond got an $8 million, one-year deal from Texas at the end of February and converted to the outfield during spring training. He had turned down a qualifying offer from Washington after spending seven seasons as a shortstop with the Nationals, including the 2012 season when he was an All-Star.

If Desmond signs with another club before the amateur draft next June, the Rangers would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round.

The Rangers also purchased the contract of infielder/outfielder Drew Robinson from Triple-A Round Rock and added him to the 40-man roster.