The Texas Rangers’ defense of their World Series title has faced challenges due to injuries and inconsistency, leaving them with a below-.500 record. However, the team has recently turned things around, winning 12 of their last 16 games, including a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night. With the Rangers only 2.5 games behind the Houston Astros for the AL West lead, they are now positioning themselves as buyers and aiming for a playoff spot.
As the season’s stretch run approaches, the Rangers expect to get several injured players back, bolstering their postseason chances. Despite this, they are still looking to add depth, particularly targeting “a left-handed hitting outfielder/DH or a platoon-neutral right-handed hitter,” according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. In this context, Tampa Bay Rays slugger Yandy Díaz has emerged as a potential target for Texas.
Yandy Diaz will help the Rangers immensely
Rosenthal notes that Díaz has strong platoon splits this season, excelling against left-handed pitchers (.879 OPS) while struggling against right-handers (.678 OPS). Historically, Díaz has shown more balanced platoon splits, which could offer the Rangers greater lineup flexibility.
Díaz could complement Nathaniel Lowe, the Rangers’ current everyday first baseman. Lowe, a left-handed hitter, has struggled against left-handed pitchers, making Díaz’s strong performance against southpaws (.889 OPS) an attractive option.
With the Rays having recently traded Randy Arozarena to the Seattle Mariners, it seems increasingly probable that other veteran players, including Díaz, may also be on the move. This scenario makes Díaz a more likely target for the Rangers.
