The Rangers have placed outfielder Leody Taveras on outright waivers, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports. Taveras can continue playing for Texas until he is claimed, which differentiates the “outright waiver” process from a more standard designation for assignment. If a claim happens, Taveras’ new team will assume the rest of his 2025 salary, which is roughly $3.8MM remaining of a $4.75MM total.
Taveras entered the season with three years and 124 days of official Major League service time, which plays an important role in his waiver status. Because Taveras has more than three years of service time, should he clear waivers, he can turn down an outright assignment to Triple-A and become a free agent. However, because he has less than five years of MLB service time, becoming a free agent means that Taveras would forego his $3.8MM in remaining salary.
It leaves the outfielder with an interesting decision to make should the situation arise, though another team could make it a moot point by simply claiming Taveras off waivers. Public defensive metrics have been somewhat mixed on Taveras’ performance as a center fielder, though the Outs Above Average metric has been solidly in his corner over his six MLB seasons. Moving him into a corner outfield spot (or having Taveras as a fourth outfielder rather than strictly as a center fielder) would only help make him more of a clear-cut defensive plus.
Taveras has been a below-average hitter over the course of his career, and he has particularly struggled this year by hitting .241/.259/.342 over 82 plate appearances. Taveras has an 84 wRC+ over 1825 career PA in the majors, with a high point of a 100 wRC+ (from a .266/.312/.421 slash line in 554 PA) during the Rangers’ World Series championship season in 2023. The switch-hitter has performed a bit better as a lefty batter than as a righty batter during his career, but even his .241/.291/.387 slash line from the left side of the plate is pretty modest.
Taveras is a Super Two player who has two remaining years of arbitration eligibility, so a new team would also be gaining control over his services through the 2027 season in the event of a claim. There wasn’t much suggestion that the Rangers could non-tender Taveras last winter even in the wake of an uninspiring 2024 season, though there was some trade speculation surrounding Taveras last January. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that the Rangers again tried to deal Taveras as recently as last week, but found no takers willing to both move players and absorb all of Taveras’ contract.
A waiver claim would allow the Rangers to cleanly part ways with Taveras while moving a bit of extra money off the books. Remaining under the $241MM luxury tax threshold is one of the Rangers’ chief goals for the season, and with an estimated (as per RosterResource) $237.1MM tax number at the moment, Texas only has a bit of space to spare. Moving Taveras would give the Rangers more breathing room to stay under the tax line while still possibility having some flexibility to add at the deadline.
Kevin Pillar, Dustin Harris, or utilityman Josh Smith could share center field duties if Taveras is indeed on his way out of Texas. For Smith in particular, more time in center field would give the Rangers a way of keeping Smith’s hot bat in what has been an otherwise pretty dismal lineup. Former top prospect Evan Carter could be a candidate to be called up from Triple-A, but Carter is hitting only .221/.333/.416 over 90 PA at Round Rock so far in 2025.
I know they don’t have room on the roster but the Reds have been supposedly interested in trading for him multiple times over the past couple years definitely worth taking a shot if he falls that for to them
He’s really not a bad player there’s just some sort of disconnect. Maybe a change of scenery could do the trick. Hate to lose him, but it’s how it goes!
I don’t see why. Offensively, you could do just as good or better with a rookie or other min wage type guy. And he’s not that great of a fielder to make up for his dismal offense.
It would be a smart move for then. Almost every player they signed they’ve done good. Lux, hays, and super even though they resigned him. Yes ik lux was a trade
Makes some sense. I do like Leody and he’s a generally good defender, but there are too many guys in CF now that will probably outhit him. I think we have to get a good look at Harris, you can always use CF to get Smith in the game, and finally it looks like Evan Carter is starting to hit a bit at AAA.
Yeah, I am really surprised that Carter has struggled so much. He looked like a future star in 2023, continuing to perform great from Septembet into the postseason with no letdown. Not a Rangers fan necessarily, but I am rooting for him.
Back injuries suck and are debilitating. He seems to be figuring it out now
It’s so hard to think it was 2 seasons ago when he was hitting so well in the spotlight
Now that spotlight has been gone for a long time and unless he can turn it around he won’t get it again
He’s 22… He had one down year last year due mostly to injury. I think he has some time haha
Nobody will claim him
He’s got to be better than what the Marlins have been playing in CF.
Possibly, but when has Miami been interested in improving?
Also, Taveras would be another guy they’d have to cut paychecks to.
No he’s not, Dane Myers, Kyle Stowers, and even Derek Hill are better than this dude.
Defensively, maybe Hill, but you wouldn’t want him playing every day, and he’s always injured.
He won’t make it to the Tigers but he seems ideal .
I’m not sure you know how bad some team’s centerfield situations are. He has speed and can play solid defense and is a legit CFer. Someone will claim him.
That is almost as big a surprise as shipping Burger to AAA.
Burger hasn’t reported yet. Boston could use Teveras. We could use a catcher.
Kimd of a bummer they’re making Taveras a scapegoat. He is what he is but adds considerable value on defense, as opposed to the likes of Burger (who was shipped out) and the other big bats. Can’t help with team chemistry to move to such a salary conscious move thus early in the season, unless the idea was to put everyone else on notice.
Burger has been good defensively this year, surprisingly. His bat has not.
Hope for your sake Jake turns it around. He’s a great story, the perseverance to fight through a series of debilitating injuries and the joy with which he approaches the game- easy to root for
he has not been good defensively, where did you get that from?
Had such high hopes for him, and there were flashes to justify that now and then, but starting last year my gut was saying bringing up a rookie who had promise. Appreciate his contributions, and honestly wish him well, but this news isn’t shocking or crushing it’s more disappointing.
Was a little surprised they just outright released instead of trading, but they aren’t idiots and probably shopped him with no takers. Which says a lot.
We was shopped around, no one would take on the salary and also give up someone. Hoping a team will just take him for salary alone.
I’m amazed they asked anyone to both pick up his salary and throw in some talent.
Taveras is hitting in good luck AND has a 74 OPS+. Something seems very wrong.
Why would you pay even just his 4m salary for a 4th-5th OFer with lousy component stats who looks no better than replacement level?
Maybe now he’ll play for the Las Aguilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Republic this winter.
I’ll never understand any defensive metrics that claims he’s an above average defender. He’s terrible near the wall or balls directly over his head and never dives head first.
Diving head first is nice for highlight reels, but doesn’t mean you’re good defensively.
I’d have to think Carter is coming back since I doubt the rangers trust pillar as a full time center fielder at 35-36
I think it’s more likely that Harris plays CF for awhile. It would be good for Carter to see some decent left handed pitching in AAA before coming back up
Seattle could use a non-injured player.
Yes, indeed. 🙂
Its not like he is the only one, Pederson, Garcia, Semein, Seager, Burger all hitting well below average.
Is this about getting Josh Smith more playing time?
This needed to happen for a number of reasons…. Joc will be DFA’d next. Dont be surprised if they move on from Adolis as well.
Hp said
Joc is owed $27 million, he won’t be DFA’ed or released, he would never be picked up by anyone being owed that much and not hitting, if he was hitting YES, the only thing Texas can do is let him work through it or bench him, as everyone can see Texas is trying to let him work thru it.
He probably isn’t good enough to be a starter, but that isn’t a bad salary for a fourth outfielder. Interesting timing because if the hitting coach is that bad that they fired him, you would think they’d let Taveras work with the new hitting coach before moving on from him.
Rangers have been very patient with him hoping he would develop into at least a .270 hitter with better defensive skills. He just never broke it open. Maybe playing for another ball club and with another set of coaches will help him play to his potential!
Seattle claimed him last night and played him today. He drove in the tying run in the eighth and then scored the winning run.
I was a little surprised that the tightwad M’s front office would spring for him, especially after Dylan Moore came off the IL today, but he’s a useful piece to have.