Aug. 4: Dahl has been placed on unconditional release waivers, the Rangers announced. Other clubs will have 48 hours to place a claim on him, although doing so would require assuming the remaining $871K on his salary. If he goes unclaimed, a team would only need to commit the prorated league minimum to Dahl for any time spent on the MLB roster. That’d be about $184K from now through season’s end.
Aug. 2: The Rangers announced Monday that they’ve designated outfielder David Dahl for assignment. Texas has also selected the contract of right-hander Jimmy Herget, optioned righty Demarcus Evans to Triple-A Round Rock, and added outfielder DJ Peters to the active roster. The Rangers announced earlier in the afternoon that they’d claimed him from the Dodgers.
Dahl, 27, is a former first-round pick and top prospect who looked like a building block for the Rockies early in his career. He debuted at just 21 years of age back in 2016 and immediately impressed with a .315/.359/.500 slash in 237 plate appearances, turning in seven homers, 12 doubles, four triples and five steals in that time as well.
Injuries have played a massive role in derailing that promising outlook, however. Most notably, Dahl suffered a lacerated spleen in an outfield collision before he ever reached the Majors — a frightening injury that ultimately led to an emergency splenectomy. He’s since had a stress reaction in his ribcage, a fractured foot, a high ankle sprain, a lower back injury and a right shoulder strain.
Dahl spent the 2017 season on the injured list but returned to enjoy productive 2018-19 campaigns. The 2020 season was a disaster, however, as he posted a .183/.222/.247 batting line in 99 plate appearances with the Rox and, somewhat surprisingly, was non-tendered in December. The Rangers swooped in to add Dahl on a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $2.7MM, but he’s looked nowhere near the 2016-19 version of himself; in 220 plate appearances this season, Dahl has batted only .210/.247/.322.
As impressive as Dahl was from 2016-19, slashing a combined .297/.346/.521 in more than 900 plate appearances, he’s only mustered a .201/.239/.299 output over his past 319 plate appearances. Given that downturn and the fact that he’s still owed $900K of that $2.7MM salary between now and season’s end, there’s a good chance Dahl simply goes unclaimed on outright waivers. While Dahl has the three years of service needed to reject an outright assignment, he has fewer than the five years necessary to retain his remaining salary in the event that he rejects that outright.
Hey another former Rockie to bring back. Who needs future scouting when you keep the past alive.
where is Leo Taveras? Still just 22 years old. Doing quite well in triple A: 13hr, 12sb, 37bb in just 266 at bats
Guess we won’t be seeing Leody again anytime soon (not that he’s really earned it with his AAA performance).
he has been showing very good power. he reminds me of Buxton a lot. Rangers- need to not give up on him
I get that he has struggled but I think they should have continued to give him a chance. he has the ability to be well above average and that could make him a trade asset next year if he bounced back
He wouldn’t be an asset next year, bc he wasn’t signed beyond this season. And resigning him wouldn’t have made much sense. Why resign someone for $1,2,3m on a rebuilding team. When u could get similar production from a minor leaguer that makes 500k that u need to give a taste of minors to and could be future building block? Taveras, Thompson, walker, Martinez could all stand to get 7-10 day look on ml roster
Mets should take a shot on him
The Mets already have David Dahl in RF
Good point
Dahl cant be any worse than Conforto
Conforto has the ability to break out of his slump tho. Dahl is always injured
Claim him Mets. Nimmo looks like he’s going to need an IL stint.
He’s in the starting lineup today
Like he said Nimmo looks like he’s going to need an IL stint.
Haha & he got scratched from my lineup
Here you go Indians!
You mean G-City Guardians
Uh.
Ya know, @Hulk, I found Cleveland to be an underrated town.
Took my son there 6 years ago. Caught the Warriors (that was his fav team at the time) Vs the Cavs, went to the Rock & Roll HOF, took this little train to Canton & the football HOF.
Good food, lot’s of kid stuff.
& Lake Erie should be on every waterfowlers bucket list.
Yeah, “Guardians” is kind of lame. But I also think “G-City” is inaccurate.
Only at the prorated league minimum. If the figure contains the word “million”, it ain’t happenin’
Would love for the Cardinals to sign him for a 4th OF.
As a Cardinals fan, I could get behind that move
If ever a team needed a fourth outfielder it sure is the Cardinals. We have went from having too much depth there to now questioning who would play if one of the regulars need a rest or if becomes injured. We had our opportunity last week.
I remember someone in a YouTube comment section trying to convince me that Dahl was a “star” and “the best player on the Rangers”. Yeah that isn’t looking to good for that guy right now lol
I think the Yankees should put a claim on Dahl. DJ played with him when he was with Rockies!
What happened to this guy? Thought he was supposed to be good. But instead he’s 27 and DFA’d from a bad team… Weird
As the article stated, injuries
Hopefully we’re not seeing the same of Bellinger
Got figured out and couldn’t adjust. Dahl is hyper aggressive and will chase anything in certain areas. Teams are now just relentlessly hitting him there.
Sounds like a guy my Angels will pick up….
Would be an upgrade over spanky
I can’t see how he’d be an upgrade over any of the current outfielders.. but yeah, the Angels seem to make some random pickups now and again..
You’re saying Adam Eaton is a better player? Lmao
Don’t know too much about Dahl since his Rockies days, but seems like a bad idea for a bad team to give up on a guy after only 330 PAs who was very good for 900+ PAs previously, when he’s only 27 and has a high prospect pedigree.
And who I believe has 2 years of control left.
Dahl looks dull. A lot to do about nothing. It seems Texas made a big deal about signing Dahl, who turned out dull. Texas showed no patience. Tampa Bay? They have patience & Dahl has talent or he wouldn’t be in the bigs. Mets maybe? I’m thinking Tampa. They’ll rediscover this dude.
David Dahl, offensively, has been a smidge above average for his entire career. (Per Statcast)
All of those games played in Coors Field have inflated his slash line to the point that his .675 OPS outside that park gets overlooked.
His defense has been good at best and bad at worst. (Per Statcast)
That still is a worthwhile investment, a consistently good player with both the bat and glove, until you get to the injuries.
Banking on a good player? Sure. Banking on a good player who consistently accrues injury’s? No thanks.
Looks like the perfect reclamation project for Farhan Zaidi, Gabe Kapler and the 14-person coaching staff of SF! He certainly gave the Giants grief while in Colorado.
EBJ, you must be envious of the Giants and their coaching staff. The Giants are playing great ball and their coaching staff should be commended for doing such an excellent job !!
Envious of Gabe Kapler managing the team, hardly…
Giants have a similar profile in Tauchman, who just got DFA’ed.
I can’t see anyone claiming him. He will accept the aaa assignment to retain salary and stay in rangers organization
Going to AAA and keeping his $ seems like the right move. Being off the 40 he could be traded for before season ends otherwise he’ll be a FA end of season.
No reason the Cubs wouldn’t pick him up. Toss Happ.
There are plenty of reasons
Curious what those reasons are. Cubs roster has been decimated by trades, Dahl can at least take some ab’s.
Unless the Cubs bring up their prospects–which I do not understand why hasnt been done yet–Dahl works as well as anyone else.
In the words of John “Bluto” Blutarski: “…hey, don’t cost nothin!”
Losing your roster spot to D.J. Peters may be cause for Dahl to rethink his career choices
Well, that didn’t quite work out…..
He’s the Rockies’ Byron Buxton.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a come back next season. He will accept the assignment to get the final 900k. Who wouldn’t- minor league season ends in four weeks. No one in his position would refuse 225k a week for four weeks. Can even grab a hamstring first game in the minors and sit it out. He will get a look next spring on a losing team on a split contract and if performs will be back in MLB in April.
From playing fantasy, I knew he was at one time very promising. When actually on the field. This article did a great job of breaking that down and laying out the specifics. Hopefully all the injuries didn’t disintegrate his ability and it’s over. But with a slash line like that, I’m pretty sure any flier a team takes still has to be in AAA.
This seems like a move the Pirates or Royals someone like that should make. I’ll be routing for him
I’d like for the Cardinals to take a flyer on him. He’s definitely talented. Low cost, low risk
Honestly I wouldn’t mind the Yankees taking him on too
I want to not mind as well, @driftcat.
But he’s *another* injury prone outfielder. & we’ve a number of those already. I was interested in him last winter. Decent ballplayer, but the kid just can’t seem to stay on the field.
Same thing this season.
Currently, Dahl has accumulated 311 hits, 42 home runs and 160 RBI.
Maybe he’ll go work with Charlie down at the Chocolate Factory.
quality comment !!!
He had such promise
I could care less about this or the Rangers (sorry), but can someone explain how he is 27 now, but was 21 back in 2016. Doesn’t compute.
He was 21 until April of that year but dude didn’t debut until July, when he was 22. It’s just sloppy writing
Pirates need OF need!! Taking a flyer on Dahl for the rest of a throw-a-season seems like a good idea to me. Better than giving the ABs to Polanco,B.Gamel, P.Evans, W.Dilfo in my opinion.