Texas Rangers 2019 Positional Review: First Base

Last time around, we looked at where the Rangers stand behind the plate. Much like the catcher position, it was a position that significantly underperformed.

The Rangers went into 2019 with Ronald Guzman as the primary starter at first base. Utility players like Logan Forsythe and Danny Santana would fill in for designated days off for Guzman or bad pitching matchups.

Guzman played the bulk of the games at first base, logging 81 games. Forsythe and Santana filled out the majority of the rest of the games. Additionally, Patrick Wisdom made five appearances in April and Scott Heineman made four appearances in August.

Despite Danny Santana's standout season, the Rangers massively lacked production from a traditionally offensive position. Collectively, the Rangers were second-to-last in the American League with a .704 OPS. They also ranked 13th in the American League with 73 RBI's. Numbers like that from a premium offensive position can weight down a lineup's run production.

Player	OPS (On-Base + Slugging)	Plate Appearances
Danny Santana	.810	192
Ronald Guzman	.728	284
Logan Forsythe	.606	159
Scott Heineman	.454	16
Patrick Wisdom	.143	15

Like Isiah Kiner-Falefa's season, Ronald Guzman suffered an injury early in the season that kept him out for an extended period of time. Even when healthy, Guzman struggled at the plate. He batted .219/.308/.414 with only 10 home runs in 2019. Guzman has pop in his bat, but is still trying to figure out how to be a consistent hitter at the major league level.

On the other hand, his glove and defensive ability is much more polished than his bat. He still has room to grow in the field, but his contributions at the first base bag have already wowed us numerous times. Despite what he can do in the field, the Rangers demoted Guzman to Triple A Nashville in July.

😳 pic.twitter.com/MuZOrgX8a0
— MLB (@MLB) July 28, 2018

Danny Santana was the breath of fresh air the Rangers needed in 2019. Going into the season, expectations were high on players like Joey Gallo, Elvis Andrus, Nomar Mazara, and others. Santana came in and produced at the plate, no matter what position he was playing. His versatility gave the Rangers a dangerous weapon to plug anywhere in their lineup.

2020 Outlook

Projected Starter: Ronald Guzman
Internal Options: Danny Santana, Scott Heineman, Patrick Wisdom

Offseason Priority: MEDIUM

There's no way around the fact that Guzman struggled in 2019. However, he just turned 25 in October. His upside is still there. Manager Chris Woodward and his coaching staff did a great job relaying new information to these young hitters last season. Some guys like Joey Gallo picked up on it quick, and some like Nomar Mazara took a while to get it. It's not time to throw in the towel on Guzman.

First base is a position the Rangers would love to upgrade this winter, but their options are thin. Plus, positions like starting pitching, third base, and catcher are higher on the priority list and those positions will take some serious financial commitments.

The first base market in free agency is pretty bare. Jose Abreu is the top guy in this year's class, along with veterans like Edwin Encarnacion, Eric Thames, Matt Adams, and Mitch Moreland. Many of these options are on the back-nine of their careers.

If the Rangers are getting a feel for any potential trade partners, an interesting place to start is with the New York Mets. With the emergence of Pete Alonso, former top-prospect Dominic Smith may be worth asking about. In 2019, Smith slashed .282/.355/.525 with 11 home runs and 25 RBI’s in only 197 plate appearances.

The Rangers don’t have any intriguing options in the farm system close to the major leagues. Sherten Apostel is the Rangers #10 prospect, but isn’t projected to be around the major leagues until 2023.

The Rangers have options this offseason at first base. They could acquire a veteran to help them compete or give Guzman another chance as the everyday starter. If they are serious about competing in 2020 or 2021, looking for external help will be necessary.

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