SURPRISE, Ariz. — Well, that was quite a turnaround.
Less than 24 hours after manager Chris Woodward said that Isiah Kiner-Falefa was the Rangers’ starting third baseman, the club traded him to Minnesota in a package that will bring power-hitting catcher Mitch Garver to Texas and potentially create ripples throughout the roster. The Rangers also included right-handed pitching prospect Ronny Henriquez in the deal. The club announced the move on Saturday.
It ends a whirlwind of an offseason for Kiner-Falefa, in which he was moved off shortstop, into a potential utility role, then became the definitive third baseman when Josh Jung suffered a shoulder injury. And Saturday, he moved again. Right out of the organization.
It leaves the Rangers without a starting third baseman. For the moment. Andy Ibáñez is the remaining candidate in camp, though there are still free agents on the market, including Kris Bryant.
President of Baseball Operations Jon Daniels indicated, however, the Rangers were unlikely to pursue long-term, costly solutions at third base. Jung is the future. And in Davis Wendzel, Ezequiel Duran, Josh Smith and possibly second base prospect Justin Foscue, the Rangers believe they have options to fill the position in the short-term if Ibáñez or a lower-profile acquisition don’t pan out there.
The trade is about upgrading the Rangers’ catching position, which has been well-below average offensively. The Rangers ranked 26th in the majors in OPS from the catching position at .620 last year. Jose Trevino and Jonah Heim, were among the best receivers in the game, but, plainly put, offense is more valuable than defense in the game.
By trading Kiner-Falefa, a Gold Glove fielder at third base who struggled to produce league-average offensive numbers, the Rangers believe they gained a significant upgrade at catcher. Projections are that Jung will be a better offensive third baseman than Kiner-Falefa. It’s all about value.
Among catchers with at least 1,000 plate appearances over the last five years, Garver’s .835 ranks as the highest in baseball. He hit 31 homers in 2019 when he won the Silver Slugger award at the position in the AL. He’s averaged a homer every 14.8 at-bats over the last three years, a 33-homer pace for a season with 500 at-bats.
“There are only so many guys like that at catcher in the game,” Daniels said.
Said Woodward: “We’re constantly trying to improve the club. Sometimes you have to [part with] good people to upgrade the way you want to. To do it comes with a price. We were willing to pay it. [Garver] is an offensive juggernaut at catcher.”
And what of his strong endorsement for Kiner-Falefa on Friday, when the Rangers were already in the process of renewing conversations with Minnesota that had begun in the days leading up to the lockout.
“He still has it,” Woodward said. “Isiah was my first call after the lockout ended. He deserved it. He’s been our heart and soul. I wanted him to know how much I value him. And I still do. He’s a good player and a leader. Nothing has changed in my eyes about him. I don’t ever want to bet against him.”
But Woodward dismissed any suggestions that his endorsement on Friday and Saturday’s action constituted a disagreement with the front office.
Garver, like Kiner-Falefa has two years remaining before free agency. You may be asking: If he’s this good offensively, why was he available in the first place, then. Well, the risk is that he’s missed a significant number of games. Only once in his career has he played more than 100 games in a season. He ranks only 34th in innings caught since 2017. He played only 68 games last season due to groin and back issues and only 23 of 60 in 2020.
