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Texas Rangers: Free agents who could fill the need at 3rd base

By Kristen Bentley

BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 13: Adrian Beltre #29 of the Texas Rangers plays third base against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 13, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 13: Adrian Beltre #29 of the Texas Rangers plays third base against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 13, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 30: Third baseman Adrian Beltre #29 of the Texas Rangers is replaced by Jurickson Profar #19 of the Texas Rangers during a game against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on September 30, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners won the game 3-1. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

The Texas Rangers need someone to play third base as their future first-ballot Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre retired just before Thanksgiving.

A few weeks later, the Texas Rangers were involved in a mega-trade with the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays. In it, the Rangers sent the player who was expected to play third – Jurickson Profar – to Oakland.

Since that trade and the Adrian Beltre retirement, the Texas Rangers have yet to sign a full-time player to take over for both players

The free agent list of available third basemen is dwindling, so if the Rangers plan to have a veteran player at that spot, they should make some moves soon. Profar will be easy to replace. But, finding someone to fill Beltre’s shoes will be nearly impossible.

In his 21-year career, Beltre spent eight of them with the Rangers. With the team, he hit a career slash of .304/.357/.509. He hit 199 home runs and knocked in 699 RBI. He played in 119 games in 2018, with 69 of them starting at third base.

According to the Rangers depth chart, there are two players who can man third base: Patrick Wisdom and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. While Profar played all over the infield in 2018, he did spend 58 games at third. In 2018, he hit .254/.335/.458 with 20 home runs and 77 RBI. Kiner-Falefa made his MLB debut in 2018, playing 46 games at third and hitting .261/.325/.357.

Wisdom joined the Texas Rangers in a trade for Drew Robinson on December 11, 2018. He came from the St. Louis Cardinals where he played 13 games at third and hit .260/.362/.520 with four home runs and 10 RBI.

The Rangers rotated players through third in 2018 to give Beltre the rest he needed and to give the young players experience at the hot corner. Kiner-Falefa best serves the team as a bench player and Wisdom just doesn’t have enough Big League experience to take the spot daily.

Let’s take a look at who could be affordably signed and take the lead at third in Arlington.

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