How Texas Rangers Could Find a Valuable Second Base Option on a Budget

Let’s be clear — if Ezequiel Duran is the Texas Rangers’ starting second baseman on opening day of 2027 that should be no argument from fans.

The super-utility player has earned a spot at a position every day. He just won the AL Gold Glove as a utility player and odds are he’ll win the Silver Slugger award at the position, too, after he slashed .260/.320/.419 with 17 home runs and 83 RBI.

He’s earned the spot and it’s open. But the Rangers must weigh playing him at one position against what he did playing seven positions in 2026. He was their best overall player and, given injuries across the diamond, his ability to play multiple positions made him the team’s MVP. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right?

If the Rangers stick with Duran as their utility star, then they’ll need a starting second baseman. Here are three budget options to consider, ones that are unlikely to cost more than $5 million per year.

Nicky Lopez

The Rangers know him and they like him. He’s also coming off a resurgent season up the middle as he slashed .276/.328/.319 with a home run and 24 RBI. He has the on-base percentage the Rangers want and they like his glove, even though the advanced analytics didn’t like it last season. He batted eighth or ninth for Texas and helped get the lineup back to the top of the order on a regular basis.

Also, he led the American League in sacrifice hits with 12, the third time he’s led a league in that category. As the Rangers continue their transition to an offense built around getting on base and versatility, Lopez is a snug fit.

Lopez signed with Texas for less than $1 million. He’ll be looking for more, but he won’t be able to command much more. He fits right into the Rangers’ flat budget approach to this offseason.

Gavin Lux

Gavin Lux is a player Inside the Rangers highlighted as a budget option earlier this offseason, and since he and the Rays didn’t agree on a new deal, he’s on the market. The Rangers must make sure about his medicals. He didn't play in 2026 due to his shoulder injury. He also missed 2023 with a torn ACL.

What he brings is what the Rangers out of any free-agent position player — on-base. He has a career on-base percentage of .332, which is better than Lopez and Duran in 2026. He is a career .256 hitter but doesn’t have the power of Duran. But in his last four MLB seasons he’s batted .250 or better. He’s consistent. He has a career minus-4 defensive runs saved, so he’ll need some work defensively. But he’s good enough given the low cost of the contract.

Jonathan India

The former Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals second baseman is hitting free agency after playing just 17 games in 2026 due to season-ending shoulder labrum surgery. The injury helped sap the power he showed in his first four seasons in Cincinnati, where he was named the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year.

India boasts a lifetime slash of .247/.346/.396, so getting on base is his thing. Even in 2026 with limited playing time, he had a .310 OBP as he batted only .167. He’s hit at least 10 home runs four times in his career and draws 71 walks per 162 games. He’s consistent enough offensively to allow the Rangers to shuffle Duran around the diamond.

The consideration is his defense, which has gotten better since he committed 15 errors his rookie season. But it’s not at Duran’s level. The Rangers must be sure, as with Lux, that India’s glove is good enough.

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