Four Rangers’ Chances of Roster Survival When Evan Carter, Josh Smith Return

Throughout spring training Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said he wasn't building an opening day roster — he was building a 40-man roster.

It needed to be one that could ride the waves that inevitably come during a 162-game baseball season. The Rangers are riding a wave.

While in Boston they placed outfielders Evan Carter and Michael Helman on the injured list. They were without Corey Seager for the entire series due to mild concussion symptoms. The Rangers played most of May without Seager and outfielder Wyatt Langford. Josh Smith continues a rehab assignment in the minor leagues.

In the past six weeks, four players have emerged as those guys that Schumaker was building up for the 40-man roster. All of them are currently on the active roster heading into Monday's game with Minnesota. But how long will they last?

Here, we assess each player and their chances of remaining in Arlington when players like Smith, Carter and Helman return.

Justin Foscue

Foscue has gotten regular reps at the Major League level for the first time in his career and his bat has responded. He is slashing .268/.321/.451 with three home runs and nine RBI. But his hitting against left-handed pitching — a Rangers struggle point — is notable.

After Sunday’s game in Boston, he is slashing .407/.467/.741 against southpaws. He can play multiple positions but is not an elite defender. But he may be the most likely player to survive the returns of Smith, Carter and Helman because he can be the right-handed designated hitter against left-handed pitching the Rangers have struggled to find.

Texas isn’t sending him down when Carter and Helman return. The trick is whether he can survive Smith’s return. Right now, Foscue’s offense has him beat because Smith isn’t hitting lefties like Foscue and Texas needs that.

Alejandro Osuna

The Rangers raised some eyebrows with fans when they optioned him back to Triple-A Round Rock when Langford returned. Some thought it should have been Helman. Osuna returned on Sunday when Helman went on the IL. With multiple fractures in his right hand, Helman could be out a while.

Osuna has slashed .253/.372/.274 in 38 games. Schumaker is confident Osuna can slug more but needs more at-bats. Texas has put a premium at on-base percentage and he delivers there. Like Foscue, he’s hitting lefties well, with a slash of .300/.364/.300. That’s far better than Carter. Osuna can play all three outfield positions and is cross-training at first base.

His overall skill set would survive a Helman return, which means he most likely survives Carter’s return, too. Smith can play outfield, too. That’s the trick for Osuna, whose bat can thrive at this level, but Texas doesn’t want to deprive him of regular at-bats for fear it stunts his development.

Cody Freeman

Freeman must be judged on a curve after losing the first two months to a lumbar stress reaction suffered in spring training. He’s already been up and down once and returned on Saturday for Carter. In three MLB games he’s slashed .400/.455/.400.

The 2025 Rangers minor league player of the year can play multiple infield positions and started in left field this weekend in Boston. For all these players listed, the ability to play multiple positions is key to staying.

Freeman would likely survive a standalone return by Helman. But a combination of Carter and Smith returning around the same time could squeeze him out. Carter is a better defender, and Smith has a longer track record, though his bat has clearly struggled this year.

One move to watch? When Freeman was ready to come off the IL and return to play, he was optioned to Round Rock first. If the Rangers do the same for Smith, that buys Freeman more time to impress.

Nicky Lopez

The Rangers deserve a round of applause for landing Lopez when they did. They were struggling with their defensive up the middle in May and that’s his calling card. He’s an above-average defender. Don’t let his misadventures in front of the Green Monster at Fenway Park on Friday minimize that.

His bat has been a bonus. He’s slashed .302/.348/.395 with a home run and five RBI in 14 games with Texas. The Rangers will take anything they can get in that department.

Yet, he’s probably the player most at risk. Foscue, Osuna and Freeman all came up in the system and Texas is invested in that. Lopez has played in the Majors since 2019. He can’t be optioned. He would have to be designated for assignment and with his rejuvenated bat he could find a taker in free agency.

The returns of either Carter or, more likely, Smith, might get him.

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