SURPRISE, Ariz. — Less than a day after he posted a video of himself dressed in full cowboy garb, and still before he had time to meet his new teammates, newly signed outfielder Andrew McCutchen stood in front of his new locker Friday and unpacked his winter.
And the cowboy hat, boots and toy pony behind him in the clip.
“Once you get to know me,” the former National League MVP said, “I’m a clown.”
Hey, as clubhouse culture and chemistry are under a microscope this spring, a little levity can’t hurt.
Rangers
Here’s what else we learned about the Rangers last week.
The top bounceback candidate presents himself: The foundation of this Rangers season will be built by those who must rebound. Of the three hitters with the highest stakes attached to their resurgence — first baseman Jake Burger, third baseman Josh Jung and designated hitter Joc Pederson — one has already shown positive signs of a bounce-back.
Burger — whose debut season with the Rangers was marred by injury, career-worst struggles versus fastballs and personal off-the-field concerns — has slashed .318/.423/.727 in his first 10 exhibition games.
Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger gets a pat on the helmet from catcher Kyle Higashioka after scoring on Higashioka’s sacrifice fly during the second inning of a spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Surprise Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Surprise, Ariz.
Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer
The raw numbers are nice. The peripheral ones may be better. Burger has posted an average exit velocity of 93.4 mph on 16 batted balls and topped the 100-mph threshold six times. That’d have been the ninth-highest in baseball last season and, more importantly, significantly harder than how the 29-year-old hit balls in his first season with the Rangers.
Burger’s 90.4 mph average exit velocity last season was the lowest of his career. That, paired with a mechanical issue that zapped his pull-side power and created more pop-ups, were a nasty combo for a first baseman expected to slug.
If both are addressed this season?
That foundation may be strong.
Not all who are optioned are gone long: Especially not in Rangers camp. The Rangers made their first two rounds of roster cuts last week and sent a total of 19 players to the minor leagues. Some will still manage to impact the big league club this season.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said last Monday, after the Rangers optioned right-handers Winston Santos and Emiliano Teodo to Triple-A Round Rock, that both have upside and “hopefully we see them at some point during the season.” On Sunday, when outfielder Aaron Zavala was reassigned to minor league camp, Schumaker said that the 25-year-old has “absolutely done what he needed to do to put himself on the radar.”
The length of the regular season — and the attrition that occurs over the course of it — beckons for depth. The Rangers needed it last season when they promoted outfielder Alejandro Osuna, who starred last spring, and infielder Cody Freeman, who played in 11 exhibitions before he was optioned last year.
The Rangers and their first-year manager have gotten a good look at those who could become this year’s iteration of the Little Rascals in the last three weeks.
Speaking of options: The Rangers have them. Especially as they look to build out their bench, or utility options, and especially after another candidate was brought on last week. The Rangers signed McCutchen to a minor league contract last week, and despite his truncated camp, the 39-year-old will be given a chance to compete for a roster spot.
Welcome to the club. The Rangers have, conservatively, nine players in camp who’ll seriously vie for the roughly four available positions on the club’s bench. That includes McCutchen, Cam Cauley, Alejandro Osuna, Mark Canha, Tyler Wade, Ezequiel Duran, Michael Helman, Justin Foscue and Cody Freeman. The last two names on this list have missed most or all exhibition games this spring due to injuries and may be a step or two behind the rest of the pack.
The ultimate decisions may come down to what Schumaker and his staff prioritize in that bench role. Is it defensive versatility? Wade, Cauley or Duran may fit the bill. Is it a platoon bat? Canha or McCutchen do the trick. Is it, for lack of a better term, vibes? Come on down, Osuna and Freeman.
The Rangers have two more weeks to hash it all out.
Twitter/X: @McFarland_Shawn
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