The Rangers have reached a deal with infielder Matt Duffy, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports (via Twitter). It’s a minors pact with a $1MM salary if Duffy cracks the MLB roster. He can also earn up to $1.5MM in incentives.
Duffy, the 2015 Rookie of the Year runner-up in the National League, only just turned 29 years of age. He was an above-average offensive performer as recently as 2018. And Duffy is a versatile defender who could help fill out the infield mix in Texas.
Trouble is, Duffy has had a tough time staying on the field and consistently producing at the plate. He missed all of 2017 and made it into just 46 games with the Rays last year. Duffy wasn’t effective when he did play in 2019, turning in a .252/.343/.327 batting line. He also hasn’t graded as well in the field as he once did in San Francisco.
It’s an easy risk for the Rangers to take, particularly after the team missed on its top infield targets. Duffy could see action as part of the mix at third base and/or supplement the OBP-challenged Rougned Odor at second. At times, Duffy has shown just enough pop and plenty of glove while reaching base at a strong clip. If he can rediscover some of that mix and stay on the field, he could be a bargain for the Texas org.
nice get. i think they have a solid group of 3B options between Solak, Santana, and Duffy – and for much cheaper than Castellanos or Donaldson would have been.
Solak is a DH
Do you mean 1B? Frazier is the third baseman.
ah sorry, forgot they signed Frazier (though he’s more of a 1B then they are)
And even though he’s a third baseman, he’s a far better option for first base than who they actually have over there, because even though Ronald Guzman can hit for power, he is terrible, strikes out a lot, hits for a low batting average (a stat that I don’t care about), is a low on base percentage guy and is awful, making him like Rougned Odor, except that they don’t play the same position. He’s a much better defender than Odor, though.
Between Solak, Santana, Duffy, and Frazier they have plenty of options at 3B with Frazier playing some 1B.
Santana, Garcia, Heineman should be able to find a way to be mildly productive if they dont find a true CF.
If you look at group’s ability to platoon vs Cabrera and DeShields last year i think you see a net improvement. Add in Chirinos as a huge boost at catcher, and a much improved pitching staff and the team looks to be better than last year, and if a few step up could try for the WC2 spot.
A minor’s contract doesn’t absolutely kill any hope of a deal for Bryant/Arenado/Betts, even if all three remain incredibly unlikely. So I’m good with this.
Just what the Rangers needed.
Solid enough deal…
Rangers are really going for it this offseason!
This will be the kicker (insert sarcasm here) to open the new ballpark!
Makes our tax dollars look good now!!!
Don’t pretend like you actually pay taxes.
ROTFL
I wouldnt say Duffy was ineffective last year, his power was just sapped. Seems like a good bet to bounce back this year.
duffy has a ton of potential if he can just stay healthy – this might be a steal for the rangers.
For all you Rangers fans who want Kris Bryant……Theo saw nothing in your farm system that he wants !
At least major league ready where none exists.
Just be aware of the Rays didn’t want him there is something wrong
Nah, that was because he was arb-eligible…..
Not much there with Duffy…if healthy and at max performance, he’s a power-lacking, ‘meh’ fielding 3B- only….decent skills overall, good soldier and all that, just not much there….but, given their options (Solak should never be issued a glove) , there are worse ways to go….
The rangers have done some great work this off season. The rotation is greatly improved as well as first, third, and catcher. They are opening a new park. Yet with all this the lack of a real impact bat has left me deflated. They are better, and have a lot of money coming off the books next year. A lot to look forward to. But I bought in to a little more hope and it undermines a lot of the excitement to not have made that one big splash on offense. I know they will be better and I am a Ranger fan for life. Just could have been so much more.
Duffy will be this years Santana. Frazier, Duffy and Santana will all hit over .280 with 20 homeruns each. They are going to surprise everyone in being in the wild card race in September
wow look this guy lives in the land of make believe
Why did Texas sign Odor to that contract?
cause he needed horses
Lmao
A lot of Ranger fans have been asking that question for the last three years – why did Daniels give this Odor such a lucrative contract? Did Daniels like the punch Odor threw squarely in Batistas jaw? Daniels for a moment completely “lost his mind!”
There is a lot of talent there. I do not know if he will ever figure it out but he goes from 850 ops or higher one month to 450 the next over and over again. It did look like he was going to be the real deal and still shows flashes but then drops off a cliff. With the contract you gotta run him out there again but the leash is getting shorter. I am one of the few that still has a little hope for him to get his head on straight but it has to happen this year.
DUFFY…
Now there is a BIG Power Move against Odor’s incumbency..
Solak and Duffy are going to put the fire to the feet of Odor.
Rangers patience is running thin for Odor.,,, so are the fans-
Big Time.
If Odor floats through spring training the Rangers should just release him and eat the contract. He does not help the team. Solak, Duffy and Frazier can cover 3B and 2B on a nightly basis.
How does Daniels explain to “ownership” why he spent so much of their money on Odor?
Well if he hits .252 and plays 2nd, he would still be 60 points higher then odor, so that’s an improvement
League batting AVERAGE 2019, I understand is, .264.
Which leaves Odor with a ton of try, just to get to AVERAGE!
Duffman! Can’t breathe! Ohhhh noooo!!
I don’t get it… the guy had a decent rookie season (5 years ago) but since then has done zilch. He’s injury-prone and the ceiling isn’t enough to warrant so much attention. My fellow Giants fans talk him up like he’s Matt Williams.
Anyone want to bet the over/under on 50 games on the DL?
Do they actually talk him like he’s Matt Williams? If so, that’s pretty pathetic, because even though Duffy isn’t a bad hitter, he’s not a power threat, which Williams was.
Well, I’m exaggerating a bit, but for years after the trade people were going off like the Giants absolutely got crushed in the deal and the guy was going to be an all-star. When he became a free agent everyone seemed to salivate that he was coming back.
Has anyone signed Travis yet from Toronto?