LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Just because you come to Disney World, doesn’t mean you have to leave with schlocky souvenirs. Who really needs the baseball equivalent of five cheaply-made T-shirts for $10?
So, if the Rangers actually leave here Wednesday night without a Dumbo of a catcher or a pair of Goofy relievers, perhaps their restraint should be applauded, rather than critiqued. Besides, they beat Black Friday by even a week to land Brandon Nimmo to bolster an outfield contingent that ranked in the bottom tier across the league in offensive production. Like smart Christmas shoppers, they didn’t get caught in the rush.
And begging your pardon if you’ve heard this already from Chris Young (or us), but the best route the Rangers have for significant improvement isn’t going to come via free agents or trades. Will adding the Chicago White Sox young catcher Edgar Quero, about whom there has been at least some small talk, drastically change the catching outlook? Similarly, free agents Danny Jansen or Victor Caratini? Would re-signing non-tendered Josh Sborz greatly change the bullpen? The answer to all of these is the same: No. Not that they wouldn’t help, but expectations wouldn’t be big.
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So the biggest changes have to come internally. About that, here’s an idea: Move Wyatt Langford to center field and leave him there. We can’t even take credit for a bold hot take. Fangraphs, the data-driven site, wrote recently of the Rangers center field situation and put this headline on the column: “Stick Wyatt Langford in center, cowards.”
We wouldn’t call anyone a coward, except for maybe Lane Kiffin, but there is merit to the argument on multiple fronts. And, for the first time, the Rangers seem genuinely open to healthy discussion about the possibility.
“There’s definitely been conversation about Langford in center,” manager Skip Schumaker said Monday afternoon. “There’s been conversation. Obviously, [Evan] Carter can play an elite center field. We’re trying to figure all that out right now and trying to keep guys healthy and on the field every day, as well.
“I think Wyatt can play all three outfield positions, and I think he can win a Gold Glove in all three outfield positions. I think he’s that elite. I also think Carter is a Gold Glove center fielder. So do I think he can play the corners? Absolutely?”
This may sound a bit like just shuffling bodies around, but it isn’t. This is all about Langford, at 24 already the second-best player behind Corey Seager on the roster and third isn’t very close. This is about Langford’s ability to impact games and his ability to impact the team.
At this point, Langford deserves to be the first priority. He deserves to have an everyday position without having to worry about staying on top of center field so he can slide over there against lefties because Carter may sit in some kind of platoon. And he deserves to play center field because there is a leadership component that comes with center field and as the Rangers try to refresh their clubhouse culture, they’ve identified Langford for the FRLA (Future Rangers Leaders of America) Club.
“I think the profile of the position has changed a little bit,” Schumaker said. “Now, you look up and you see some big old boys roaming center – and in our division. Wyatt can be that guy. It’s also typically one of your best athletes. And it’s a leadership position. Does the guy have speed? Does he have leadership position qualities? I think that is what I’m really looking for. And I think if you give either Evan or Wyatt or whoever takes the everyday kind of role there, they will grow into that.”
This is not to say Carter lacks those abilities. No, what he lacks is experience due to numerous injuries and struggles against lefties. And the Rangers can’t yet say all that is behind him. Schumaker said “you earn your stripes in this game,” on Monday. He also said you have to get opportunities to earn those stripes, but he hasn’t been healthy enough for much of the opportunity and those that he’s had have yet to produce results. The Rangers did see better at-bats against lefties in a small sample in 2025, but not necessarily results.
Carter has started only 53 games in center over the last two years; just three more than Langford, who only started there when Carter was unavailable or opponents started a lefty. Funny thing is, in relatively the same amount of time, Langford actually was a better defender than Carter. Both graded out as relatively valuable center fielders, according to FanGraphs defensive valuations. Neither had an error, but Langford’s defensive valuation (4.5) was higher than Carter’s (1.9). At the same time, Langford had more Defensive Runs Saved (6 to 4).
“I think we’re looking at it through a lot of different lenses of what’s the best deployment of primarily [Langford, Carter and Brandon Nimmo]. We’re looking at it from a performance standpoint, and also a health standpoint, and to some degree a platoon standpoint. There are a lot of variables that we’re studying right now. Our R&D team is hard at work on it. We’ve asked the opinion of our scouting department. Some of it may come down to spring training too, but I think a lot of it’s going to be conversations with the players themselves, as well.”
All of which are important components. It’s just that, at this point, Langford deserves the first – and maybe last – word.
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