Jake Burger Steals Show in Rangers Spring Training Blowout Victory

Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger seems to have found his power stroke at spring training of late.

In Thursday’s 15-9 win over the Kansas City Royals, he went 2-for-3 with four RBI, including a three-run home run. That boosted his batting average this spring to .333. This came after Burger went 2-for-2 with a home run against Team Brazil, a game that doesn’t count toward spring training stats. He now has two official home runs and three unofficial home runs as he tries to bounce back from a lost 2025.

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker knows Burger well. He was the first baseman’s manager for two seasons in Miami. He’s seen something in the last few games that impresses him that has nothing to do with the power.

“If you notice the past couple of games, he’ll start 0-for-2 and they he’ll get a hit,” Schumaker said. “So, it’s not about peaks and valleys. It’s those really good swings, the process, even when the results weren’t there. It’s been really good for him. “

Jake Burger’s Bounce-back

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The Rangers acquired Burger last offseason in a trade with the Marlins to add more slug to a position where Nathaniel Lowe’s numbers had tailed off since the 2023 World Series victory. Texas also wanted to avoid paying his $10 million arbitration bill.

Nothing quite worked. Burger slashed .236/.269/.419 with a .687 OPS, including 16 home runs and 53 RBI. But he only played 97 games as he went on the injured list three different times. The wrist sprain he suffered in August never healed 100% and he underwent surgery this offseason.

Schumaker reiterated something that he said earlier this spring training — he’d rather get hit in the face than get hit in the hands. Those injuries tend to linger longer with players than others.

“He probably came back too early and the numbers were the numbers,” Schumaker said. “Hopefully he just stays healthy this year and trusts what he’s doing.”

Burger said this offseason he focused on doing different things physically that would help reduce the injury risk. He took up Pilates, trimmed a bit of weight and came into spring training hoping to ramp up quicker than he did a year ago, when he was optioned for a week in April to work on his swing. All of that was to get the power back he showed while playing Schumaker, where he hit 34 home runs in 2023 and 28 the following season.

The priorities, aside from staying healthy, is to reduce the chase rate, whiff rate and strikeout rate from last season.

To do it, Schumaker said Burger is focused on the right things.

“I don’t want these guys to chase numbers and results,” Schumaker said. “The numbers will be there if you chase the right things, which is process and winning. He’s definitely that guy.”