Texas Rangers 2019 Positional Review: Shortstop

After back-to-back A.L. West Division titles in 2015 and 2016, the Rangers were forced into a rebuild. Trades to acquire players like Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Beltran depleted the Rangers' farm system, and unfortunately, those acquisitions didn't even help the Rangers get through the Division Series.

In going through the rebuild, there have been several positions that have been a revolving door. Even players like Joey Gallo that have been on the roster for multiple seasons have played multiple positions.

One position that has remained steady is shortstop, manned by Elvis Andrus since 2009. Andrus has provided consistent defense and a solid presence in the Texas lineup for over a decade. It wasn't until 2018 where Andrus had a season shortened by a fractured elbow, where he only played in 97 games.

In 2019, Andrus was looking to bounce back from his shortened 2018 season and get back to his 2016-2017 form. In those years, Andrus' batting averages were .302 and .297 respectively, and he hit 20 long balls in 2017 for the first time in his career. His bat had become as dangerous as his glove and he was becoming one of the elite shortstops in baseball.

Now that Beltré is retired. Elvis Andrus has moved onto annoying Rougned Odor. 😂 pic.twitter.com/nEBMSK2Biy
— Cut4 (@Cut4) September 2, 2019

The results of 2019 were not quite what Elvis was looking for. While he stayed healthy and played in 147 games, his offensive output was a bit disappointing. His average was a respectable .275, but his on-base and slugging percentages were down drastically from his 2016-17 numbers. His slash line was .275/.313/.393, which is pretty pedestrian.

His defense was pretty much what we expect from Andrus. His .978 fielding percentage was the highest of his career, but his Defensive Runs Saved was a -6.

In Jon Daniels post-season press conference, he wasn't afraid to be a bit critical of Andrus and fellow middle infielder Rougned Odor.

"For us to win a championship, we need significantly better performance out of those spots. That's just being honest," Daniels said. "They'll be the first to talk about it; the first to understand what needs to happen."

Elvis was a part of the back-to-back American League Champion teams in 2010 and 2011. He understands exactly what has to happen. Now that he's one of the leaders on this ball club, he'll have to help lead the team where they need to go.

2020 Outlook

Projected starter: Elvis Andrus
Internal options: Danny Santana

Offseason priority: VERY LOW

There are a few locked positions on the Rangers and shortstop is one of them. Andrus had the ability to opt out of his contract this winter and decided not to exercise that option. His contract runs through 2022 with a $15 million club option for 2023.

Andrus is 31 years old and still has at least a couple of years of good baseball in him. He has the ability to bounce back and be one of the better hitters in this lineup. Jon Daniels saw positive signs down the stretch at the end of 2019.

"We know what they're capable of," Daniels said of Andrus and Odor. "Forget about the results on the field, there was a lot more understanding of what they need to do."

Consistency at the most crucial defensive position in baseball is something that any baseball franchise wants. The Rangers have had it for a long, long time. Even if his performance in the past couple of seasons has us wondering what 2020 may hold, having this premium position locked down for this long cannot be overlooked.

Elvis is easily the fan-favorite on the Rangers. His bright personality is infectious and helps make this team so easy to root for.

Elvis Andrus walked up to "Baby Shark" for his son 😍 (via @FOXSportsSW)pic.twitter.com/wNu9FzyqUB
— ESPN (@espn) March 26, 2019

A strong 2020 season from Elvis would help elevate this team to being a playoff-contending team, which is exactly what the Rangers goal is in their debut season at Globe Life Field.

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