Was Texas Rangers’ Latest Roster Move Message to Struggling Offense?

The Texas Rangers optioned a struggling slugger and, to some, it could be seen as a message to the rest of the team.

May 2, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers first baseman Blaine Crim (13) strikes out in his first major league at bat during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers are struggling offensively. That is no secret to anyone.

The Rangers have scored three or fewer runs in 21 of their first 33 games this season. Earlier this week, a social media account pointed out that Texas had scored fewer runs per game than the Dallas Stars had scored goals per game this season.

Entering the Seattle Mariners series on Friday, Texas hadn’t hit a home run in seven games and was near the bottom of the Majors in every relevant offensive category.

On Friday, Texas sent first baseman Jake Burger down to Triple-A Round Rock and called up first baseman Blaine Crim. Burger was batting under .200. Crim was batting better than .300.

The Rangers have shuffled the batting order. But this is the first time this season they’ve made a move like this. Burger isn’t the only hitter who is struggling. But he is, conveniently, one of the few everyday players struggling at the plate that has minor league options left.

Veterans like Marcus Semien, Joc Pederson and Leody Taveras have had their struggles, too. But the Rangers can’t send a player like Semien or Pederson to the minors without their permission.

The struggles continued on Friday in a 13-1 loss to the Mariners. The Rangers had three hits. Josh Smith ended the homerless streak with a shot to right field in the ninth.

During a 10-minute session with the media on Friday, president of baseball operations Chris Young was asked if Burger’s option was a way of sending a message to the rest of the team.

He said no.

“There is no hidden message with these moves,” Young said. “We’re just simply trying to field the best team possible to beat the Seattle Mariners this weekend, and then go to Boston, Detroit, two winning teams, and complete and win. We’re not going well offensively. There’s no secret. But there isn’t a message we’re sending with these moves, or a wake-up call. We’re committed to winning and the players that are performing the best are going to get the playing time.”

The offense struggled last season, too. But Young and manager Bruce Bochy, for the most part, remained committed to the everyday lineup, in part due to its track record. That meant Semien at leadoff, Corey Seager behind him, etc…

A month into the season the Rangers have already made significant lineup tweaks. Semien has hit below clean-up for the past two weeks while Josh Smith and Wyatt Langford have taken turns at lead-off. Before his hamstring injury, Seager was moved out of the No. 2 spot and lower in the order. The Rangers anticipate that Seager will return to the lineup this weekend.

Adolis Garcia has batted as low as seventh recently. In one game earlier this week the Rangers batted Kyle Higashioka and Jonah Heim back-to-back, with Heim at clean-up.

Perhaps the message isn’t “hit or get sent down.” Perhaps the message is, “we’re going to do what it takes to turn it around."

Because, to Bochy, there's no choice.

“You keep pushing forward," Bochy said. "That's all you can do. I've said it before. You go through tough stretches and this is a really, really tough stretch."