This Potential Rangers Trade Target Would Help in Two Key Areas

The Texas Rangers haven’t signaled they’re making moves yet, but if they become buyers this player would be worth tracking.

Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young talks with a coach. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers are trying to remake their offense on two different tracks.

First, there are the players they've acquired in free agency, such as Brandon Nimmo. Second there are the players they're trying to remake into something different, such as Josh Jung and Ezequiel Duran. The idea? Boost the on base percentage, create base traffic and provide more opportunities to score runs.

The last two years have taught the Rangers that they can’t slug their way out of ballgames anymore. Texas must find different ways to win, and president of baseball operations Chris Young has prioritized finding players they can get on base different ways.

The returns after two months? The Rangers have an on-base percentage of .316. Last year it was .302. Encouraging. But Texas ranks No. 21 in that category entering Friday’s game with the Cleveland Guardians. It could use improvement.

Recently, ESPN’s Jeff Passan previewed a trade target for every team at the deadline. His target would boost Texas in two key areas.

Would The Texas Rangers Pursue This Hitter?

San Francisco Giants infielder Luis Arraez. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Passan projected that San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion, would be the best player for Texas to pursue if it were a buyer at the trade deadline. The reasons are obvious.

First, he’s an exceptional contact hitter who fits the Rangers’ profile of a player that gets on base frequently. Through 60 games with the Giants, he’s slashed .325/.364/.436 with two home runs and 24 RBI. His .364 on-base percentage would tie for the third best of his career if he maintained it the rest of the season.

In comparison to the Rangers, their best qualifying hitter’s on-base percentage, Josh Jung, is .363. But he’s never had an on-base percentage higher than .315 in a single season.

The other area where he would help the Rangers is strikeouts. Arraez doesn't draw many walks. But he doesn't strike out much either. This season he has struck out 11 times and walked 15 times. He has never struck out more than 48 times in a single season and there have been campaigns where he's walked more than he has struck out.

By comparison, Texas has 15 players on its roster that have more strikeouts than him. That includes Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager, both of whom are on the injured list. Plugging Arraez in for anyone of those players would help deliver more on base opportunities for Texas.

He’s playing on a one-year deal worth $12 million, so he would be relatively cheap at the deadline. There is no commitment past 2026. He can play multiple positions. If Texas is in contention and needs on on-base boost, he would be the player to chase.