Danny Jansen Making Rounds to Learn Rangers Pitchers Before Opening Day

SURPRISE, Ariz. — This is Danny Jansen’s first spring training in Arizona. But it isn't his first trip to Surprise.

Turns out, he visited his brother several years ago when he was serving as a high school baseball coach in the area. Jansen only spent a couple of days here. So, when he was preparing to start his first spring training with Texas, he showed up on Feb. 1 to get acclimated.

Since then, he’s been trying to learn the intricacies of a new pitching staff.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

“I’m just trying to make the rounds,” Jansen said. “Once games get started every day, that’s the fund time. We get thrown in the fire together and we work some stuff out.”

Jansen is expected to work in a tandem with Kyle Higashioka this season. Manager Skip Schumaker isn’t committing to a true split of playing time, saying that how they’ll handle designated hitter on days against left-handed pitching will influence some of that.

For now, Jansen is just grateful he doesn’t have to learn a pitching staff on the go.

Danny Jansen Learning the Rangers Ropes

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Danny Jansen swings his bat at a baseball. — Milwaukee Brewers catcher Danny Jansen. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jansen has been on a roller-coaster the past couple of years. He started 2024 with his original team, the Toronto Blue Jays, but was traded to the Boston Red Sox for their playoff run. Boston passed on keeping him, so he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays.

But he was sought-after at the deadline and dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers, who used him as a back-up during their run to the National League Championship Series last season.

That experience, Jansen said, helps his preparation for this season.

“It’s kind of like, go, go, go,” Jansen said of those experiences in Boston and Milwaukee. “So that has helped me. On a team making a playoff push you must learn faster. I sure enjoy having some time.”

Higashioka is further ahead than Jansen when it comes to working with Rangers pitchers, especially the holdovers in last year’s rotation like Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. But, Jansen has already developed a good relationship with him early in spring training.

“He’s been there, he’s done it,” Jansen said. “I’ve admired his work. He’s very good at what he does. So I’m excited about it.”

Higashioka is coming off a 2025 in which he slashed .241/.291/.403 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI. Jansen’s best offensive season was in 2022 with Toronto when he slashed .260/.339/.516 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI. He played 72 games that season.

Signing Jansen for two years gives the Rangers some security. Higashioka is in the final year of his deal and is a free agent after the season. Texas is banking that their first-round pick from 2024, Malcolm Moore, will take a big leap and be a factor in 2027.

For now, it’s the veteran tandem that will take the Rangers into opening day, barring injury.

Danny Jansen Learning the Rangers Ropes

Recommended Articles