How Rangers Could Handle Right Field After Non-Tendering Adolis Garcia

The Texas Rangers appear to have the options to have someone take over for Adolis Garcia in right field. But do they have the options to replace his bat and arm?

Texas Rangers designated hitter Adolis Garcia (53) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning at Progressive Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Adolis García will always be remembered by Texas Rangers fans for his magnificent playoff run in 2023. But after two years of eroding numbers at the plate, the Rangers opted not to tender him a contract for 2026 after they couldn’t find a taker in a trade.

He slashed 227/.271/.394 with 19 home runs and 75 RBI. While still considered one of the best defensive right fielders in baseball, he was chasing too much at the plate with a whiff rate over 30%. With free agency approaching in 2027 and a desire to get the roster younger and cheaper, Texas is moving on from the 32-year-old.

Now what? How will the Rangers handle right field? Unlike the catching situation, where the cupboard is bare after non-tendering Jonah Heim, Texas has options.

Right Field Options After Adolis García

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The immediate beneficiary is Alejandro Osuna, who played 17 games in right field last season and slashed .212/.313/.278 with two home runs and 15 RBI in more than 40 MLB games. Osuna caught fire in spring training last year and pushed for a roster spot coming out of Surprise. In 52 minor league games last season he slashed .273/.391/.387 but only hit two home runs. He’s shown power in the minors before, as he hit 18 home runs in 2024. He can play all three outfield positions and has logged 119 games in right field in the minors.

Texas has five outfielders under contract or team control — Osuna, Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter, Michael Helman and Sam Haggerty, the last of which signed a deal on Friday to avoid arbitration. Texas can mix and match if it likes.

Langford is the starting left fielder, but he can flex into center field and did so when Carter was hurt. He could, theoretically, play in right field, but the Rangers like having him in a set spot and he was a Gold Glove finalist in 2025. He’s the one outfielder that has flashed power close to Garcia’s. He slashed .241/.344/.431 with 22 home runs and 62 RBI. Moving him to right field doesn’t solve the power void Garcia’s release creates, however.

Texas needs a player to step into that void. Osuna could do it. So could Carter, who finished the season injured for the second straight year. Carter has hit double-digit home runs twice in the minors and had 15 MLB home runs in 400 at-bats. He’s a center fielder by trade, but a move to right field might help reduce the chances of his back flaring up, which has been a concern since he injured it in 2024. He slashed .247/.336/.392 with five home runs and 25 RBI in the 63 games he played.

Moving Carter to right field would allow Haggerty and Helman to tag-team the position. That just happens to be Haggerty’s natural outfield spot.

There is also one prospect to consider and that’s Abimelec Ortiz, who was just moved to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Ortiz is a former Rangers Minor League Player of the Year who has significant pop in his bat. The 23-year-old ended this season with Triple-A Round Rock and slashed .257/.356/.479 with 25 home runs and 89 RBI. He’s listed as a first baseman but has played 82 games in right field.

The Rangers have options, to be sure. The question is whether any of those options can join Langford and hit 20 home runs in 2026. Power like that would play in right field and give the Rangers some peace of mind that they didn’t sacrifice too much power in letting Garcia get away.