Texas Rangers, Adrian Beltre to Meet During Offseason

Adrian Beltre may be one of the leaders of the Texas Rangers, but that does not mean he wants to be a part of a rebuild. A conversation this offseason could determine his future with the franchise.

The Texas Rangers know that Adrian Beltre will not be around forever. Even though he has continued to perform like an ageless wonder, Beltre has missed time this season due to a calf injury. With the Rangers being out of the postseason chase, the team has shut their third baseman down for the year, resting him in hopes that he will continue to be the same player in 2018.

And yet, while Beltre has not displayed many signs of slowing down, Father Time eventually catches up with everyone. He will be 39 years old at the start of the 2018 campaign, one of the elder statesmen of the game. While Beltre may still be revered in the clubhouse, and an excellent bat in the lineup, he is at the point in his career where he is looking to win, and win now.

Meanwhile, the Rangers find themselves at a crossroads as a franchise. They traded Yu Darvish at the deadline, and while he was an impending free agent, sparked rumors of a rebuild. Even though Beltre has said he wants to remain with the Rangers, he wants that elusive World Series title. A rebuild is not part of his plans. As such, the Rangers and Beltre will meet this offseason to discuss his future.

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If the Rangers do move forward with that rebuild, it may be enough to force Beltre to request a trade. he does have a no trade clause, but if he has a chance to head to a contender, he would likely consider moving on. Time is running out on his career, after all.

For the Rangers part, they are expected to attempt to contend once more. Although Shohei Otani is atop the wish list for most teams, the Rangers could be a final contender for his services. Adding a talent like Otani, while shoring up the bullpen and adding another starter, could put Texas back into the hunt next year. It is quite the shopping list, but the Rangers do have the assets to make it happen.

If they manage to rebuild their pitching staff, and continue to be a perennial postseason contender, it is an easy decision for Beltre to make. Even knowing that the Rangers are doing everything possible to contend in 2018 could be enough to retain the future Hall of Famer, even if the roster still has a few holes. However, if the plan is to start that rebuild, Beltre may well have played his last game in a Rangers uniform.

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Adrian Beltre’s future with the Texas Rangers is still up in the air. In order for the Rangers to plan their offseason, his fate may be decided shortly after the season ends.