Struggling Rangers Slugger Opens Up About Rough Season at the Plate

This Texas Rangers slugger hasn't had the most productive season at the plate, but he's not throwing in the towel just yet.

Jun 20, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a Texas Rangers baseball hat and Wilson glove during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Park in Arlington. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Lack of production at the plate has become the unfortunate norm for the Texas Rangers in the 2025 season, with just about everybody in the clubhouse struggling to find any sort of consistency with the bat in their hands.

One guy in particular who has struggled more than most has been the team's newest slugger in Jake Burger, who the Rangers acquired via trade from the Miami Marlins last winter.

Texas made the move for Burger in hopes that he could provide some much-needed pop to their lineup, but the move has, unfortunately, borne little fruit as of yet.

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Entering Thursday night's matchup against the Los Angeles Angels, the 29-year-old had only managed to post a .228/.260/.430 slash line and 10 homers across his first 263 at-bats.

This hasn't been the start that either Burger or the Rangers envisioned at the outset of the season, but that doesn't mean the slugger has given up.

“I know how fast these things can change,” Burger said, according to the Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland (subscription required). “Paul Konerko, when I first got drafted, told me that if you have two really bad months, two average months and two really good months, you’re a pretty good big leaguer.”

If there's anybody in baseball who knows how quickly things can turn around at the dish, it's Burger.

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He had an insane comeback at the tail end off last year with the Marlins after a similarly rough start.

He also knows the key to a similar turnaround in 2025 is likely going to come from hitting the fastball at a higher rate.

“I always want to hit the fastball,” Burger said. “I think that’s where the timing comes in. My move feels good on them. It’s just you’re just not getting a lot of them. Out of nine pitches in two at bats you might see one of them — and it’s probably not in the zone. It’s kind of just the ebbs and flows of the game."

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Burger understands that baseball is a marathon and things can turn around on a dime.

If he can start hitting the fastball, then he could end up becoming the spark Texas has been looking for all season long.

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