SURPRISE, Ariz. — There is a week to go until opening day. Normally, the idea that a team would have this many — or more — questions about the season-opening roster would be a little bit unsettling. For the Rangers, not so much.
Take that as indication that camp has gone well on all fronts: Health, acquisitions and performance.
Here is our last attempt at projecting the roster, focusing on the decisions still to be made and how we, as GM, would approach them:
Starting rotation
Rangers
What’s to decide: Who ends up as the fifth starter, Jacob Latz or Kumar Rocker? Both have pitched well enough to earn the job. And how can the Rangers keep Cal Quantrill as a depth option? He pitched well in WBC, but has an out in his minor league contract on Saturday. Would they keep him and send one of Latz/Rocker to minors?
What we’d do: Make no firm decision with the plan of using Latz and Rocker as a piggyback tandem. With a grueling first 40 games, the Rangers absolutely need their 13 best pitchers from the start. Both of these guys fit in that category. With minimal manipulation, a 5th starter might be needed as few as six times in those first 40 games, so there would be other occasions when both Rocker and Latz would also be available to pitch in multi-inning relief at a time when all starters are likely to be on more restrictive pitch counts. As to who starts when, some might come down to availability, but in general, go with Latz to neutralize a lineup heavy with lefties, use Rocker against lineups that lean to the right.
Personnel (5): Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom, MacKenzie Gore, Jack Leiter, Jacob Latz/Kumar Rocker.
Bullpen
What’s to decide: Final decisions are largely dependent on the Latz/Rocker situation, but there are still two other pending decisions on Rule 5 pick Carter Baumler and the last spot in the bullpen.
What we’d do: It’s going to be hard to carry Baumler all season, but he began Thursday with a 0.00 ERA in spring and a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk rate. Hard to think he could do anything more. Perfect scenario for the Rangers would be to make a trade with Baltimore that eliminates Rule 5 status. The Rangers could then fold him into their other optionable relievers pool along with Luis Curvelo, Marc Church and Jose Corniell. It would allow them to leave Josh Sborz in the minors for two weeks to keep pushing for a tick up in velocity. Sborz can’t opt out until mid-April. If the Rangers can pull all this off, it would give them ability to add and call up Sborz, since he’s not on the 40-man roster, as soon as they need an arm. Barring an injury, the Rangers would not have the ability to recall a pitcher on the 40-man roster until April 9, 11 games into the season.
Personnel (8): Chris Martin, Robert Garcia, Cole Winn, Tyler Alexander, Jalen Beeks, Latz/Rocker, Carter Baumler, Luis Curvelo
Catcher
What’s to decide: The playing time split. Given the trouble Kyle Higashioka had with his hamstrings and back last year and his back again this spring, it’s hard to see it being absolutely equal, at least at the start, when the Rangers’ first six games are forecast to be played in temperatures in the 50s or lower.
What we’d do: Two off days in the first week make things manageable, but after that, we might consider more of a traditional platoon with Jansen facing righties based on his .733 career OPS against them and Higashioka, who slugs far better against lefties, getting most of the starts against left-handers. We also wouldn’t hesitate to try to find a veteran in the wave of final week releases to add to the depth mix with Willie MacIver. Issue is if a veteran would be willing to go to Triple-A to split time evenly with MacIver. Maybe that is Jose Herrera, who is already in minor league camp, maybe there might be a slight upgrade out there.
Personnel (2): Kyle Higashioka, Danny Jansen
Infield
What’s to decide: Not much, so long as Josh Jung remains healthy.
What we’d do: Early in camp there was some thought that Cody Freeman or Tyler Wade could push for a role, potentially the one held by Ezequiel Duran, but Freeman got hurt and Wade can’t opt out of his minor league deal before the season. Duran has shown well in the last half of camp and Sam Haggerty has expanded his repertoire to include more second base ability and present an option as a platoon player to Smith. Haggerty makes things happen. Against lefties, he needs to find a way into the lineup, whether at second, in center field or DH.
Personnel (6): 1B Jake Burger, 2B Josh Smith, SS Corey Seager, 3B Josh Jung, INF-OF Sam Haggerty, INF Ezequiel Duran
Outfield
What’s to decide: Who ends up as the regular center fielder, Evan Carter or Wyatt Langford? And which right-handed hitting veteran becomes the pinch-hitting specialist and occasional DH?
What we’d do: We went to spring thinking that if Carter was going to platoon, then Langford should be the everyday center fielder. But the Rangers have indicated that Carter will face a decent number of lefties. He’s looked stronger this spring and he’s most comfortable in center field. He starts there and Langford plays left. And on days Carter gets off, Sam Haggerty plays center. What to do about Carter’s injury history and the still unproven track record against lefties? Well, look, if either happens, Langford becomes the center fielder and this debate ends once and for all. If the worst happens, it is easier to move Langford into a position of more responsibility than it would be to move him to left if Carter proves healthy and effective and it becomes clear he’s the more “natural” center fielder. About the part-time outfielder/DH, see below.
Personnel (3): LF Wyatt Langford, CF Evan Carter, RF Brandon Nimmo
DH
What’s to decide: Who ends up as the occasional right-handed complement to Joc Pederson – and the potential successor if he struggles?
What we’d do: Both veterans Mark Canha and Andrew McCutchen have played very well since signing minor league contracts. We didn’t think there would be enough time for McCutchen to truly show the Rangers anything, but his at-bat quality over a week has been spectacular. Patient, disciplined and he’s hit balls hard. McCutchen had a .743 OPS against lefties last year, compared to .607 for Canha, and that seems like the top priority in this role. There is something edgy about McCutchen’s drive that we think may just fit this roster a hair better. At the end of the day, if either player could be convinced to go to the minors for three or four weeks, then it would make the decision easier.
Personnel (2): DH-1B Joc Pederson, DH-OF Andrew McCutchen
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