Texas Rangers: Willie Calhoun breaks jaw; who’s the next man up in the outfield?
A brutal injury to Willie Calhoun will force the Texas Rangers to alter their left-field plans. Who might man the position come opening day?
The Texas Rangers suffered a tough loss Sunday afternoon when Willie Calhoun took a 95 mph fastball to the jaw. A fractured jaw is the reported diagnosis; Calhoun is expected to miss substantial time.
Texas had a starting outfield in place, but they are now forced to adjust. Danny Santana is expected to start in center field and right field is Joey Gallo‘s. Who are the emerging candidates to take over for Calhoun in left?
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Scott Heineman
Spring stats: 9-for-25, .429 OBP, .949 OPS, , 0 HRs, 4 Ks
Scott Heineman may have the edge as a homegrown talent. The 27-year-old and Texas Rangers’ 2018 minor league player of the year debuted with the big club last season. He hit .213 with two home runs and a .306 OBP over 75 at-bats. His time in the outfield was split almost equally, as he appeared in left field six times, center field nine times, and right field eight times.
Heineman is a safe option. He’ll play solid defense, though it’s unlikely he’ll wow at the plate. He’d tuck into the 8th or 9th place in the Texas lineup, hopefully reaching base often to reset the table for the top guys in the order.
He hit .295 with a .355 OBP at Triple-A in 2018, and .340 with a .412 OBP in 42 games at the same level in 2019. Thus, he’s shown an ability to square the ball and put the ball in play. The next step is for him to prove such ability against major league pitching.
The Rangers like him a lot. If he keeps up the pace this spring, there’s a good chance he jogs out to left on opening day.
Adolis Garcia
Spring stats: 6-for-19, .632 SLG, .982 OPS, 2 HRs, 6 Ks
The Texas Rangers acquired Adolis Garcia from the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason. Garcia, a 6’1” Cuban outfielder, hit 32 home runs for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds in 2019. His 32 bombs ranked 8th in the Pacific Coast League.
We should note that the Pacific Coast League used MLB balls, which saw a dramatic increase in power-hitting in 2019.
He debuted with the Cardinals in 2018, experiencing a 21-game stint towards the end of the season. The right-hander struggled to a .118 batting average, struck out nearly half his ABs, and went homerless.
Power is Garcia’s shtick, though he has plenty of ground to make up in other areas of his game. He’s a free-swinger and a poor contact hitter. His 491 Triple-A at-bats from a season ago resulted in 22 walks and 159 strikeouts.
To his favor, the Rangers really lacked in the right-handed pop department last season. They undoubtedly acquired Garcia to potentially combat that weakness. His power screams middle of the order bat. The next couple weeks will determine if he’ll hit in the middle of the order at Triple-A Nashville or the middle of the order with the Texas Rangers to crack his 2020 season.
Sam Travis
Spring stats: 6-for-13, .533 OBP, 1.149 OPS, 0 HRs, 2 Ks
The Texas Rangers have tossed Sam Travis into the first base mix this spring. The 26-year-old was acquired in January from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Springs. Travis played 111 games for the Red Sox from 2017-2019. He started 38 games at first base and 14 games in the outfield over that span.
Texas expressed intrigue in Travis by not only trading for him but extending him a spring training invite. He’s a right-handed swinger who can hit for power. He could platoon with left-hander Ronald Guzman at 1B; he could platoon with left-handed-hitting left fielder Willie Calhoun. Of course, Travis’ effective role will be reevaluated with Calhoun sidelined for an open-ended period.
He offsets the inexperience of the other left-field candidates. Not to say Travis has notable big-league experience, but he has more than Heineman and Garcia put together. He also has experience playing at the high-pressure scene of Boston’s Fenway Park, which presents a very challenging outfield layout.
Travis fits enough needs to give him a strong chance to break camp with the Texas Rangers. His chances have grown after Sunday’s injury news.
Blake Swihart
Spring stats: 5-for-15, .524 OBP, 1.124 OPS, 6 BBs, 1 HR, 7 Ks
Speaking of Boston products, the Red Sox’s former #2 prospect is currently fighting hard to make the Texas Rangers roster. Blake Swihart went from Boston to Arizona last year, where he hit .136 with the Diamondbacks in 31 games. He’s hoping for a revival in Texas.
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Swihart had the reputation of a great hitter coming out of the draft and into his early minor league years. For whatever reasons, he’s tailed off considerably.
The Rangers felt he was worth an invite to spring training. He’s held his own so far, hitting for a nice average and producing good power. I still think he has a lot to prove, however. It’s going to take more than a solid spring to convince Texas to grant him a roster spot.
The 27-year-old could eventually find his way to the bigs this year if he hits well at Triple-A and if injuries allow throughout the regular season.
Rangers hoping new rotation leads to postseason. light. More
Long Shots
Leftfield can open its arms to athletic players who have little to no prior experience there. If a team wants to work a good hitter with no lockdown position into a lineup, left-field is often where that player defends.
The Texas Rangers have a few guys they love but don’t have a guaranteed position for. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Nick Solak, and Eli White come to mind. All three are athletic and are therefore capable of a transition – even if temporary – to left field. Kiner-Falefa is fighting for third base, Solak second base, and White a utility role.
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Texas may see enough in one of them to take a gamble in left to start the year.