Texas Rangers: Praising the Addition of Asdrubal Cabrera
On Tuesday, the Texas Rangers continued adding to their roster by signing Asdrubal Cabrera, a veteran infielder. His contract should prove to be a steal.
On Tuesday, Jeff Passan and Ken Rosenthal reported that veteran infielder, Asdrubal Cabrera, had signed a one-year pact with the Texas Rangers, pending a physical. According to Passan, Cabrera is set to make $3.5 million.
The 33-year old infielder seems set to replace longtime star, Adrian Beltre, as the starting third baseman for the Texas Rangers.
Was this a good signing?
Is Cabrera still a serviceable Major League option?
For a player worth 2.4 fWAR in 2018, this contract is a steal.
Let’s dive into the details…
His role
While nothing has been officially stated, we are left to assume that Asdrubal Cabrera will be the Rangers’ starting third baseman in 2019. Cabrera, who has primarily served as a middle infielder throughout the majority of his career, found himself sliding to third base late in his tenure with the New York Mets and again during his stint with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Rangers have a need at third base and Cabrera seems to be a logical plug for their current hole.
In general, this reported signing seems to be a safe move by the Texas Rangers, a club who has made a number of signings throughout the winter. The club has bolstered their thin roster with various pieces of veteran talent.
Will the Texas Rangers win in 2019? Probably not, as the Lance Lynn‘s and Asdrubal Cabrera’s of the world can only impact the Rangers in a finite amount, but players like Cabrera could still provide the Rangers with a meaningful impact.
A rejuvenation
Asdrubal Cabera has benefited from a mid-career rejuvenation. While his improvements were not at “Justin Turner levels of breakout”, Cabrera’s improvements are still very noticeable.
Cabera’s career began in Cleveland, where he appeared to be a budding star. His time in Cleveland fizzled to an end as the switch hitter was traded to the Washington Nationals in the midst of a second consecutive down season. This marks the end of part one of Asdrubal Cabrera’s career, in which he produced 87 home runs, 451 RBIs and a batting line of .268/.330/.409. This resulted in an OPS+ and wRC+ rating slightly above league average, coming in at 104 and 102.25 respectively.
These numbers are respectable, but Cabrera has been able to greatly improve on his offensive production over the last four seasons.
After his time in Washington, Cabrera signed with the Tampa Bay Rays and then with the New York Mets. From 2015-2018, Cabrera hit 75 home runs, drove in 254 RBIs and posted a batting line of .272/.329/.450.
His OPS+ and wRC+ improved to 111 and 111.75 respectively. While these are far from star numbers, Cabrera has shown that he can hit enough to make a difference in a lineup, thus warranting a starting role on a Major League roster.
Current Value
If Asdrubal Cabrera is able to produce at a level similar to 2015-18, this signing could prove to be a bargain for the Texas Rangers. Cabrera’s pop and bat to ball skills could even improve as Globe Life Park has proven to be a hitter-friendly environment.
If Cabrera produces and the team struggles, the Rangers could even flip Cabrera at the trade deadline, as his versatility and bat should net the club with a decent return.
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Cabrera’s defense has hurt his value in past seasons, but a static role as the Rangers’ primary third baseman could prove to be beneficial. Cabrera has been hurt by his lack of range, as he struggled through countless innings at shortstop over the past few seasons, but he has shown that he still has good hands and a serviceable arm. Third base seems to be the logical ending spot for the aging Cabrera as he will not be asked to move as far from play to play.
Now, I can imagine that Cabrera will see time at shortstop and second base, as the club could look to maximize his versatility. At this point in his career, he will likely see a majority of his playing time at the hot corner.
The Texas Rangers hit the nail on the head by signing Asdrubal Cabrera for only $3.5 million. While his struggles during his stint with the Phillies might look problematic, we have to remember that his time in Philadelphia is represented by a limited sample size, as it was in less than 200 at-bats.
Next. Rangers 2019 top 10 prospects. dark
I would expect Cabrera to be valuable in 2019, producing right around his averages from the past four seasons. In the end, this was a great signing by a club that is aiming to stay relevant.