The Texas Rangers love Evan Carter as a defender and believe, with time his bat will come around. But his body continues to betray him.
The latest is hip labrum surgery, which was announced by Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young earlier this week. Carter might miss opening day, though it’s possible opening day may be delayed due to collective bargaining negotiations between MLB owners and players.
Carter was one of four young players Young pointed to in September and said he needed progress. He was a AL Gold Glove finalist at center field but batted under .200. For once, his body didn’t break down — at least not until after the season.
His injury history is the most significant consideration when determining how he fits into the future.
Evan Carter’s Future
Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter. Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Carter burst onto the scene in September of 2023 when Texas needed help after an injury to a Adolis Garcia. Carter played so well the Rangers kept him on the postseason roster and he was their starting left fielder as they won their first world championship. Carter was on the opening day roster in 2024 and then the injuries began.
He played in only 45 games in 2024 as he suffered a difficult-to-diagnose back injury that was eventually diagnosed as a lumbar stress reaction. When he returned in 2025, he started the season in Triple-A as he had to regroove his swing to avoid putting as much stress on his back. When he returned, he couldn’t avoid the injury bug.
Carter missed time with a right quad strain and back spasms, while his season ended after a right wrist fracture. He played in only 63 games.
In 2026 the emphasis was on him being available to play every day and not trying to play every day. The mindset paid off. He played in 141 games, and he only went to the injured list once for a right oblique strain. But availability didn’t lead to a productive season. He finished with a slash of .194/.288/.315 with nine home runs and 40 RBI.
With nearly 800 at-bats, Carter is closing in an important benchmark for a young player — 1,000 MLB at-bats. For many talent evaluators, that number of at-bats can tell a lot about where a player is at. Carter is still unable to hit left-handed pitching consistently. His glove is elite, but his bat has not caught up to where it needs to be.
Young faces a decision this offseason when it comes to center field. He’ll probably try to find a veteran that can capably compete with Carter, or even replace him, if he’s good enough. At minimum he needs a back-up plan if Carter isn’t ready. Its possible Young could slide Wyatt Young to center and Carter to left and let the latter to compete with Alejandro Osuna.
Carter still has value. But how he bounces back from this injury will determine if Carter remains a starter or becomes a fourth or fifth outfielder in 2027 — and beyond.
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