Replacements for the Texas Rangers
These names may not be as well-known around baseball, but they’re household names for Rangers fans. DeShields is a prototypical leadoff hitter. He gets on base, he hits the ball on a line or on the ground, and he steals bases. He is the leadoff hitter that the Texas Rangers need.
They don’t need someone who swings for the fences like Carlos Gomez. They do need someone who can set the table for the big guns in the middle of the lineup. The Rangers have placed their faith in DeShields from the start. As a result, the team should start the season with a confident leadoff man.
Robinson Chirinos deserves more credit than he gets. Despite spending the majority of his career as a backup catcher, Chirinos has played with the confidence of a starting catcher every time he’s taken the field. He’s a selfless teammate that just so happens to fit perfectly into the Texas Rangers’ lineup.
Chirinos set career highs in practically every offensive statistic last season. He hit 17 home runs 88 games. He also slugged .506 and notched an OBP of .360. Chirinos provides excellent pop at the bottom of the lineup and possesses an outstanding understanding of his role. Like DeShields, Robinson Chirinos should benefit significantly from the number of starts he will earn in 2018.