Texas Rangers: Elvis Andrus’ future remains uncertain

Elvis Andrus’ recent struggles on defense have gotten to the point where the Texas Rangers can no longer justify putting him in the lineup.

There have been certain truths about Elvis Andrus over the years. The Texas Rangers shortstop has been known for his excellent defense and speed at short, while continually providing mediocre offensive production. He had two solid years with the bat in 2016 and 2017, but those have been proven to be outliers.

The Rangers now have to question Andrus’ future moving forward. His defense is no longer what it was, as he has slipped defensively. He has saved a total of zero runs since the start of 2018 while his range at short has continued to decline.

A part of this is Andrus’ own doing. He has admitted that he has been loathe to embrace statistical analysis, both offensively and defensively. It is something that he has come to realize he has to change, especially as his future becomes increasingly questionable.

Andrus’ struggles with the bat have reached their nadir at this point. Through 96 plate appearances entering Saturday, he has posted a miserable .180/.240/.270 batting line, with just five doubles and a single home run.

It is also not a surprise that Andrus may not be in the lineup as much. Isiah Kiner-Falefa has become a utility player, but he was originally a shortstop in the minors, and has been the Rangers’ best hitter this season. Top prospect Anderson Tejeda is a shortstop by trade, although he has played second since his promotion to the majors. And the Rangers were looking for additional shortstop prospects in any trade talks involving Lance Lynn.

Andrus is still due another $28.5 million over the next two seasons with a $15 million vesting option for 2023. That is a lot of money to be spending on a player who has seen his production take a major step back, especially for a team looking to cut payroll this offseason. But Andrus has gotten to the point where he is not only difficult to put into the lineup, but he may be impossible to trade as well.

The Texas Rangers are looking ahead to the future. Elvis Andrus, once thought off as a key piece of the Rangers, may no longer be a part of those plans.