Rangers Claiming Blaine Crim off Waivers Could Influence Trade Deadline

Bringing back Blaine Crim may not have been just an opportunity to have a reunion with the Texas Rangers.

Colorado Rockies first base Blaine Crim. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Blaime Crim is back. The Texas Rangers claimed him off waivers from the Colorado Rockies on Saturday. But what does that mean to the future?

In the short term, it’s a happy reunion with one of their longest tenured prospects. The Rangers drafted him in the 19th round in 2019 out of Division II Mississippi College. He developed slowly but productively before he finally made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2025. But he didn’t get consistent playing time and Texas designated him for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

He returns after losing his spot on Colorado’s 40-man but with more MLB experience, a small stretch of success and valuable depth for an organization that doesn’t have much at first base. That could come in handy in a trade deadline sell scenario.

Why Blaine Crim’s Return is Important for Rangers

Colorado Rockies first baseman Blaine Crim. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Rangers have a first baseman in Jake Burger. But he’s still not where the Rangers had hoped he’d be in his second season with the organization. Last year’s struggled could be blamed on three different injuries. But he’s healthy this year and he was slashing .245/.293/.435 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 48 games. The on-base percentage is now where the Rangers want it and that’s because he has 51 strikeouts. He’s pacing toward matching his career high of 150 in 2024.

If his on-base continues to be less than .300 and the Rangers fall out of a postseason race by mid-July, Texas could be tempted to put players on the market. This isn’t a case where the Rangers must get out of Burger’s deal. He’s under team control for two more seasons and he is only being paid $3.2 million with two seasons of arbitration left.

A trade like that is about Burger no longer being a fit. It’s debatable whether Crim is. But if the Rangers deal Burger, it gives Crim a shot at the Majors again.

Crim didn’t do that in his short audition with Texas last season. His promotion was hard earned he emerged as a power bat at first base with 131 minor league home runs. He only played five games with the Rangers and didn’t get hit. Ironically, he was promoted to the Majors after the Rangers optioned Burger to Triple-A to get his bat straight.

Texas designated him for assignment and Colorado claimed him off waivers. The Rockies had no answer at first base and in September, they gave him an extended chance.

In his first game with the Rockies, he hit his first MLB home run and had a hit in 12 of his 15 games. With Colorado he slashed .241/.295/.556 with five home runs and 12 RBI.

As in Texas, his path became blocked. He suffered an injury in spring training and T.J. Rumfield, whom the Rockies acquired in a January trade from the New York Yankees, took control of the job out of spring training. The Rockies DFA’ed him earlier this week.

Now, he’s back in the Texas system. The 28-year-old may get another shot, especially if the Rangers decide to turn the page on Burger.