Rangers Mailbag: Which Free Agent Shortstop Fits Best In Texas?

In this edition of our Texas Rangers mailbag, we look at some of the issue from the 2021 season, along with some factors that could impact the 2022 squad.

Author:
Chris Halicke
Sep 3, 2021 1:32 PM EDT

Good day, Texas Rangers fans!

With the off day now behind us, we have 29 games left in the 2021 season. It's been a trying — sometimes painful — campaign for just about everyone involved. But as autumn rapidly approaches (yes, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are already at Starbucks), so does the end of one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

Your questions address some of the concerns from this season and what next year might look like. Let's dive right in.

Any thoughts as to which guys we’ve seen make debuts of late will actually stick going into next year and be a factor?
-Joe Siegler (Twitter: @JoeSiegler)

The young pitchers catch my eye the most. Of course, Glenn Otto and A.J. Alexy have one big league start under their belts, but these are two guys that have enough intrigue already for potential spots in the rotation in 2022.

It's been a while since Joe Barlow made his debut, and not that long ago that Kick Snyder did as well, but I'm really interested to see how those guys perform over the final month of the season. We just saw Barlow really struggle for the first time, but he had been a machine out of the bullpen until that point. I want to see how he bounces back.

Snyder consistently hits triple digits and has a good slider to complement the fastball. With Jonathan Hernández and José Leclerc returning at some point next season, I'm interested to see how many younger pitchers can grab hold of spots in the bullpen. It's a place on the roster that's too often overlooked, and the Rangers have enough arms to build an intriguing bullpen before they look to supplement via trade or free agency.

How does the starting pitching shape up in 2022?
-J (Twitter: @JR_Gaut)

If I'm counting right, there are at least nine pitchers that can compete for a starting spot next spring before you even begin looking at the free agent or trade market:

A.J. Alexy
Kolby Allard
Kohei Arihara
Dane Dunning
Mike Foltynewicz
Taylor Hearn
Spencer Howard
Glenn Otto
Yerry Rodriguez

That's not even including the guys who could play a role in the rotation at some point during the season like Cole Winn, Ronny Henriquez or maybe Jack Leiter near season's end.

Now, I don't believe Mike Foltynewicz will be back. However, the Rangers need to supplement externally. They will be in a similar situation as they were this season: too many young pitchers that can't eat innings like Major League veterans just yet.

Dane Dunning could see an uptick in innings, along with maybe Kolby Allard and Taylor Hearn. But neither of those three will likely eclipse 150 innings. Then looking at guys like Alexy, Howard or Otto, 100-125 innings would be most ideal.

The one free agent pitcher I've been clamoring for is Clayton Kershaw. Yes, he would be expensive. But — given his desire to spend more time with family — I believe the right amount of money in a three-year deal could lure him to Arlington. He could give you enough innings, be a well-respected voice in the clubhouse and be a great example for the next crop of young pitching.

If the Rangers decide to spread out money over a couple of starters, that would be understandable too. Something closer to the deals that brought Andrew Cashner, Mike Minor, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles to Texas. Some of those deals haven't worked out, but they've struck gold on several of them.

I’d like to see a real breakdown comparison between the soon to be free agent class of shortstops: Trevor Story, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Francisco Lindor, Javier Báez, Marcus Semien, Andrelton Simmons, weighted towards how they’d each fit as a Ranger. Which one fits best? What happens to Isiah Kiner-Falefa? Love that dude too.
-El Nacho Ranger (Twitter: @LLdaveL)

Before I go into the answer, allow me to refer you to a column I wrote nearly almost a month ago on why the Rangers should pursue Carlos Correa this winter.

Here is how I would rank the shortstops, in order of preference:

Carlos Correa
Corey Seager
Trevor Story
Marcus Semien
Javier Báez
Andrelton Simmons

*Francisco Lindor signed a 10-year contract with the Mets and won't be a free agent

The Rangers won't be ready to compete next season, and even 2023 might be a bit too early as well. So if 2024 is the most realistic year the Rangers can truly go for it, they need someone who fits that timeline best.

Correa is the best blend of performance and age. He'll be entering his age 29 season in 2024. If the Rangers sign him to a seven-year deal, he can be part of a team that competes for five years and be only 33 by the end of the contract.

Seager is a only a year older than Correa, and we've seen how well he hit at Globe Life Field (albeit in a very small sample size). The problem is the Rangers might have to outbid the Los Angeles Dodgers. I'll let you put 2+2 together on that one.

Story is a nice ... well ... story since he is from Dallas-Fort Worth. But he'll be entering his age 31 season in 2024. Fair or unfair, age has to be a consideration when the team is still at least one or two years away from competing. If the Rangers were in win-now mode already, Story would top the list. He might better service the New York Yankees, who are known to be suitors for him.

Marcus Semien is an intriguing player because of his outstanding play in two of the past three seasons, along with his versatility in the infield. However, he's already north of 30. I don't believe he would fit the Rangers timeline.

I might be in the minority here, but I am hardly intrigued by Javier Báez. Sure, he has the same kind of swag that Correa possesses, which is a wonderful trait that the Rangers desperately lack. However, he has a career OPS of .775, with the highest mark in his career being .881 in 2018. He's only been north of .800 twice in eight seasons.

In my opinion, he's an Isiah Kiner-Falefa who slugs. Add in the fact that, at this point, Kiner-Falefa is a better defensive shortstop. If the Rangers are going to shell out money, they need to invest in a player who gives them more production offensively. Báez doesn't do enough, in my humble opinion.

As for Kiner-Falefa, he said earlier this season he is open to changing positions if needed. Currently, Correa is really the only one that could come in and force Kiner-Falefa to another position. Not only is he a major upgrade offensively, the defensive drop off is miniscule. Through September 2, Kiner-Falefa has a 2.5 Defensive bWAR (second in all MLB) while Correa's is a 2.2 (fourth in MLB).

Ultimately, if a player like Correa, Seager or Story say they'll come to Texas, you figure out the details later. If the Rangers decide one of the free agent shortstops can be part of the next team that competes in the playoffs, then you get them here. Period.

Do you think we will hire a new manager? How do the players feel about Chris Woodward?
-Cindy Jacobs (Twitter: @cindyj1123)

I would be very surprised if Chris Woodward was let go. In all honesty, he's the least of their problems. The poor record this season is mostly affected by the lack of impact players and vast amount of inexperience on the roster.

The players don't seem to have any significant issues with Chris Woodward either. I think the time to begin wondering if his job is safe is after next season. The club plans to add players this winter, which should give them a bit more firepower either in the lineup or on the mound. If there is no significant improvement in a second evaluation year, then I think it's time to have that discussion.

Where do you see Steele Walker’s place in the organization? September look?
-Josh Terrell (Twitter: @JTerrell2232)

He could get a call-up this month, though the Rangers might need those two roster spots for pitchers since a COVID-19 outbreak impacted the length of several hurlers.

Walker's .823 OPS in 23 games at Triple-A Round Rock is encouraging after posting a .763 OPS in 63 games at Double-A Frisco. The Rangers need to hit on an outfielder internally, and Walker should be a guy that's high on fans' lists. Consistency at the plate, as with so many young Rangers players, is the key here.

Left field has been a bit of a black hole for the Rangers. Walker's best spot in the big leagues might be there, but he also can play the other two outfield spots. He could be another candidate for a big league job next spring.