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Rangers Sign Josh Harrison To Minor League Contract

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The Rangers have signed veteran utilityman Josh Harrison to a minor league contract, per an announcement from his agents at MSM Sports. He’ll head to Triple-A Round Rock and primarily work as a third baseman and second baseman there.

Harrison, a veteran of 13 big league seasons, opened the year in Philadelphia but was designated for assignment and released earlier this month after batting .204/.263/.291 in 114 plate appearances. It was a rough showing, to be sure, but it also came in a relatively small sample. In the three seasons prior, Harrison combined for a .270/.332/.390 batting line over the life of 1074 plate appearances between the Nats, A’s and White Sox. That 2020-22 production falls neatly in line with Harrison’s career .270/.316/.396 batting line in 4347 trips to the plate.

Now 36 years old, Harrison is a two-time All-Star who’s well versed at a number of spots on the diamond. Second base has been his most frequent position (5081 big league innings), but he’s also spent ample time at third base (2331 innings), in right field (493 innings), in left field (487 innings) and at shortstop (265 innings) in addition to brief cameos at first base and in center field. Defensive metrics have generally viewed his glovework at second base and the hot corner quite favorably.

Harrison isn’t likely to suddenly recapture his peak form — he hit .315/.347/.390 back in 2014 — but he’s a capable, versatile defender who still makes contact at an above-average rate. The Rangers recently lost Rookie of the Year candidate Josh Jung to thumb surgery that puts the remainder his season in jeopardy, and while fellow youngster Ezequiel Duran gives them a quality substitute, Harrison can provide additional depth in the event of further injuries on the big league roster.

The Phillies are on the hook for what’s left of Harrison’s $2MM salary anyhow, so the Rangers would only owe him the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster. If the Rangers want to add a veteran for the final month of the season, they can select Harrison to the big league roster on Sept. 1, when rosters expand from 26 to 28 players. Because he’s joining the organization before Sept. 1, he’d be postseason-eligible as well — if he performs well enough in his new environs to warrant such consideration.

Rangers Activate Jonah Heim From 10-Day IL

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  • The Rangers activated catcher Jonah Heim from the 10-day injured list today, and optioned Sam Huff to Triple-A in the corresponding move.  After a left wrist tendon strain sent Heim to the IL on July 27, he returns within the 2-3 week recovery timeline that was initially projected at the time of his placement.  Heim’s outstanding performance in the first half earned an All-Star nod, though his absence hasn’t slowed the Rangers down at all, in part because Mitch Garver has also been hitting up a storm in a part-time catching role.  Even if Heim’s wrist problem limits him to being a left-handed batter rather than a switch-hitter, Garver’s presence should guard Texas against any sort of offensive dropoff behind the plate.
  • Shohei Ohtani will skip his next scheduled start due to arm fatigue, Angels manager Phil Nevin told the Associated Press and other media.  Ohtani was initially slated to face the Rangers on Wednesday, but due to what Nevin described as “some normal arm fatigue that happens at times,” the Halos will now hold Ohtani’s next start back until a series with the Reds that begins on August 21.  The arm issue won’t prevent Ohtani from his usual regular DH duty, and the two-way superstar underlined that point by hitting a home run (his 41st of the season) in the Angels’ 2-1 victory over the Astros today.

Royals Claim Bubba Thompson, Option Edward Olivares

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The Kansas City Royals announced that they have claimed Bubba Thompson off waivers from the Texas Rangers. He has been optioned to Triple-A Omaha. In other roster news, the Royals reinstated Drew Waters from the bereavement list, optioning Edward Olivares to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

The Rangers DFA’d Thompson on Friday to make room for J.P. Martínez on the 40-man roster. Thompson, a first-round pick in the 2017 draft, had been playing for the Triple-A Round Rock Express following a poor start to the season at the MLB level. In 37 games with Texas, he hit .170 with a 41 wRC+ and -0.1 FanGraphs WAR. He was demoted at the end of May.

Thompson has yet to live up to his former top prospect status, but still just 25 years old, he is far from a bust. He looked like a legitimate bench piece last season, batting .265, stealing 18 bases, and finishing with a 77 wRC+. Moreover, despite his disappointing slash line this year, he increased his walk rate, decreased his strikeout rate, and showed off a little more power. He continued to demonstrate his improved plate discipline at Round Rock, compiling 19 walks (and two HBP) compared to only 28 strikeouts in 149 trips to the plate.

Thompson should have a better chance to make his way back to the majors in Kansas City, but he’ll need to continue to show improvement at Triple-A. If he’s able to take steps forward at the plate, he could be a useful contributor since his speed and defense give him a solid floor. The Royals already have two young, right-handed-hitting outfielders on the big league roster, Samad Taylor and Nelson Velázquez, in addition to the switch-hitting Waters. Olivares and Nate Eaton are also waiting in the wings at Omaha.

After a promising cup of coffee last season, Waters got off to a slow start in 2023. An oblique injury kept him on the shelf until late May, and he was hitting .239/.293/.354 with a 76 wRC+ entering the All-Star break. Since then, however, he has a 107 wRC+ in 23 games. His 11 RBI in that time are tied for fourth on the Royals, while his 12 runs scored are tied for fifth. He returns to the team after missing the minimum of three days on the bereavement list.

Olivares had a mini breakout in 2022, finishing with a 110 wRC+ in 53 games. However, he pulled that off thanks to a career-high .344 batting average on balls in play. His BABIP has fallen below league average this season, and his triple slash line numbers have dropped in accordance – despite the fact that he’s striking out less often and hitting for a little more power. Meanwhile, Velázquez, whom the Royals promoted on Thursday to replace Waters on the roster, has hit a home run in each of his last two games. He’ll get the chance to stick with the big league club for at least a little longer.

Rangers Designate Bubba Thompson For Assignment

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The Rangers announced they’ve designated outfielder Bubba Thompson for assignment. The move opens room on the 40-man for J.P. Martínez, who was officially selected onto the big league roster. Travis Jankowski was placed on the paternity list to clear an active roster spot for Martínez.

A former first-round pick, Thompson reached the majors last August after five minor league campaigns. An elite runner, Thompson had stolen 49 bases and was caught just thrice for Triple-A Round Rock last season. He hit .265 and stole 18 more bags in 55 big league contests down the stretch, though that came with a modest .302 on-base percentage and well below-average .312 slugging mark.

Last year’s decent batting average was built on a massive .389 average on balls in play, as Thompson struck out at an alarming 30.9% clip. As one of the league’s fastest players, he’s likely to run a BABIP higher than the .297 league average. Yet hitting nearly .400 on balls in play consistently is a tall task for anyone.

Likely anticipating some regression in his offensive production, Texas signed Robbie Grossman to take primary left field duties. Jankowski has been very good in a fourth outfield role, leaving Thompson to tally only 60 MLB plate appearances over 37 games. He struggled to a .170/.237/.283 line in that scattershot playing time. While he improved his strikeout and walk numbers marginally, Thompson only made contact on 61.5% of his swings — a rate topped by every qualified hitter around the league.

Thompson’s production in Triple-A has also taken a step back. Despite carrying solid walk and strikeout marks at the top minor league level, he’s hitting .260/.362/.378 through 149 plate appearances at Round Rock. He’s gone 16-18 on stolen bases but has only two homers in 32 games after connecting on 13 longballs in 80 Triple-A contests a season ago.

While the 25-year-old Thompson is clearly still a work in progress offensively, he has some standout skills that could intrigue another club. There are few more effective baserunners. Thompson has stolen 22 bases in 27 attempts at the MLB level and has been successful at a huge 83.2% clip in his minor league career. That standout speed gives him the ability to play all three outfield spots, though he’s spent most of his MLB time in left field.

Texas has no choice but to put Thompson on waivers within the next week. It seems fairly likely he’ll be claimed. Another team willing to carry him on the 40-man roster could keep him in the minors for the foreseeable future. Thompson is in his first of three minor league option seasons.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: The Streaking Mariners, the Struggling Angels and Injured Aces

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

  • The scorching hot Mariners (2:15)
  • The ice cold Angels (6:20)
  • The Rangers will be without Josh Jung for a while, impacting them and the Rookie of the Year race (8:45)
  • Shane McClanahan could be out for the year and maybe part of 2024 as well (13:15)
  • Yankees put Carlos Rodón back on the injured list (18:35)
  • Red Sox get Trevor Story back (21:35)

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • Any chance that the Cubs try to sign Cody Bellinger to a long term deal? (24:35)
  • Of all the players on the Dodgers’ injured list, which will have the most immediate impact both now and for the postseason not named Clayton Kershaw? (30:15)
  • Are the Angels’ manager and general managers jobs respectively in jeopardy if they fail to make the playoffs? (33:25)

Check out our past episodes!

Rangers Expected To Select J.P. Martínez

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The Rangers are expected to add outfielder J.P. Martínez to their 40-man roster ahead of Friday’s game, per reporter Francys Romero as well as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Martínez isn’t currently on the club’s 40-man roster, which is full, meaning he will require a corresponding move to be added. The club has an off-day tomorrow.

Martínez, now 27, left Cuba in November of 2017 in the hopes of signing with a major league club. Despite being just 21 years old at that time, he already had five seasons of experience under his belt in the Cuban National Series, hitting .333/.470/.498 in the last of those five years. Once he was given clearance to sign, he was frequently connected to the Rangers, who officially announced his signing in April of 2018. The club had saved some international bonus pool space to make a run at Shohei Ohtani, but used some of it on Martínez when Ohtani signed with the Angels.

The Cuban outfielder was a prospect of note in his first few years in the affiliated ranks, though his stock dipped as his results in the minors were more solid than outstanding and he was generally older than those he was playing with. But he seems to have put himself back on the map with a strong showing in this year. In 67 Triple-A games, he’s hit 12 home runs and walked in 15.3% of his plate appearances. Even in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, his .312/.427/.565 batting line amounts to a 139 wRC+, or 39% above average. He’s also stolen 33 bases in in 37 attempts at that level.

It’s unclear how the Rangers will deploy Martínez, but he’s capable of playing any of the three outfield slots. The recent injury of Josh Jung likely means Ezequiel Durán will be spending more time there and less in the outfield. That leaves the club with Adolis García, Leody Taveras, Travis Jankowski and Robbie Grossman in their outfield mix.

García is having an outstanding season but the other three have less of a firm grip on playing time. Taveras had a strong first half but has hit just .231/.252/.368 since the start of July. Jankowski is having a nice season overall but has a long track record of subpar offense and has slumped to a line of .045/.250/.091 in his last 28 plate appearances. Grossman’s hitting .228/.312/.386 for the season.

If Martínez can carry any of his strong results up to the majors with him, it should provide a boost to the Rangers as they look to fend off the Astros and hold onto their lead in the American League West.

Jonah Heim Takes Batting Practice As Left-Handed Hitter

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  • Rangers All-Star backstop Jonah Heim took batting practice and caught a bullpen session this afternoon, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. It’s his first cage work since tearing a tendon sheath in his left wrist two weeks ago. The Rangers expressed initial concern that Heim would require season-ending surgery, though it seems he’ll be able to play through the discomfort (likely before an offseason surgery). Grant notes that Heim — normally a switch-hitter — may have to swing solely from the left side for the time being, as the wrist is in more pain when he hits right-handed. Heim has been excellent from both sides of the dish this season, and Texas has righty-swinging catchers Mitch Garver and Austin Hedges as their duo with Heim out. Even if skipper Bruce Bochy wanted to limit Heim’s looks against left-handed pitching, Garver — a career .272/.366/.523 hitter against southpaws — should be well equipped to step in.

Josh Jung To Undergo Thumb Surgery

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Rangers’ rookie third baseman Josh Jung will undergo surgery to stabilize a fracture in his left thumb, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). He’s expected to miss roughly six weeks.

Jung broke his thumb when he knocked down a Jorge Soler line drive in last night’s win over Miami. The Rangers placed him on the 10-day injured list today, recalling Jonathan Ornelas for his big league debut in his place. With the injury requiring surgical repair, Texas loses one of its top bats well into next month.

The six-week timetable leaves open the possibility of Jung returning during the regular season. If everything goes well, he could be back for the final two to three weeks of the schedule. Given how tightly contested the AL West is, it’s quite possible that stretch of play could determine the Rangers’ playoff standing. Texas leads the Astros by 2.5 games; they’re in strong position to at least secure a Wild Card berth, but the division would come with the added bonus of a first-round bye (since the AL Central winner is almost certain to be the third seed).

It’s a third straight season with a notable injury for Jung. After a broken foot in 2021, he injured his left shoulder in a weight room accident headed into 2022. That kept him from making his MLB debut until last September and probably contributed to a lackluster .204/.235/.418 showing in his first 26 games. After a healthy offseason, Jung has broken through as a middle-of-the-order presence in Arlington.

The former eighth overall pick owns a .274/.323/.489 line over 461 trips to the dish. While his strikeout and walk marks are middling, he has popped 22 homers. He leads American League rookies in longballs, putting him in strong consideration for Rookie of the Year. That’ll be far more challenging now.

As Ethan Hullihen points out (Twitter links), that could deal another hit to the team. Jung met the prospect criteria — appearing on at least two preseason Top 100 lists at Baseball America, MLB Pipeline and ESPN (he made all three) — for the Prospect Promotion Incentive. The Rangers carried Jung on the active roster from the start of the season. If he were to win Rookie of the Year, he’d net Texas an extra draft choice — as Julio Rodríguez did for the Mariners last season. That isn’t out of the question, but the injury reduces Jung’s chances of nabbing the award.

The more immediate concern, of course, is how to replace Jung at the hot corner. Ezequiel Duran figures to get the bulk of the playing time there. Duran, who has slumped since the All-Star Break following a stellar first half, is hitting seventh and manning third base tonight against Oakland southpaw Ken Waldichuk.

Rangers’ Josh Jung Suffers Left Thumb Fracture

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Rangers third baseman Josh Jung suffered a fracture in his left thumb during today’s game with the Marlins, manager Bruce Bochy told MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry and other reporters.  The injury occurred in the sixth inning when Jorge Soler hit a 109.4mph liner off of Jung’s glove hand at third base, and while Jung recovered to start an unlikely double play, he left the game after the next batter.

The fracture was apparent on initial x-rays, and a clearer timeline will be known in a day or so.  If surgery is required, the usual six-to-eight week timeframe for thumb procedures threatens to possibly end Jung’s 2023 season entirely, though much depends on the nature and severity of the fracture.  Since the Rangers are on pace to reach the postseason and receive a first-round bye if they win the division, Jung could rejoin the team before the start of its first playoff series.

Of course, winning the AL West and holding off the Astros and Mariners will be more difficult for the Rangers without their star rookie in the lineup.  Considered one of baseball’s top prospects during his time in the Texas farm system, Jung made his big league debut with 26 games in 2022, and then headed into this season as the everyday third baseman.  Jung has more than delivered on that regular role, hitting .274/.323/.489 with 22 homers over 461 plate appearances and becoming one of the favorites in the AL Rookie of the Year race.

Not that there’s a good time to ever lose a key player, but Jung’s injury occurring after the trade deadline makes it more difficult for the Rangers to find any sort of depth or replacement.  It was a little over a week ago that the Rangers also lost catcher Jonah Heim to a wrist sprain, and with Heim’s return in question this year, Texas quickly pivoted to acquire Austin Hedges and Kevin Plawecki in separate trades with the Pirates and Padres.  While there are still several ways to obtain players after the deadline, it’s easy to imagine the aggressive Rangers getting into the hunt for a bigger-name third baseman like Jeimer Candelario if Jung had gotten hurt even a week earlier.

Between Jung, Heim, Brad Miller out with a hamstring strain, and Corey Seager still battling a nagging thumb problem, the powerful Rangers lineup has started to spring some holes.  Jung has played almost every inning at third base this season, but Josh H. Smith or Ezequiel Duran figure to platoon at the position while Jung is sidelined.  Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News figures that outfielder Bubba Thompson is the likeliest call-up from Triple-A, unless Seager’s status makes the Rangers call up another infielder (perhaps Jonathan Ornelas, also on the 40-man roster) to provide more depth on the dirt.

Like pretty much everyone on the Rangers, Smith and Duran are having good offensive seasons in their own rights, with Duran in particular delivering a .281/.326/.482 slash line over 325 PA.  However, Duran has been in a slump since the start of July, and has started to lose playing time at his regular left field or DH spots.  Perhaps getting more regular infield work would help spark Duran, since a return to that earlier-season form would go a long way towards helping the Rangers thrive without Jung.  Duran and Smith make for a natural righty/lefty platoon, and Smith has an above-average (101 wRC+) offensive profile this year, hitting .214/.344/.349 over 153 PA.

This marks the third straight season that Jung has suffered a notable injury, as he surely would’ve been in the majors much earlier than September 2022 if he’d had some better health luck.  Jung underwent surgery for a foot fracture in 2021, and then missed over half of the 2022 season recovering from shoulder surgery.

Rangers To Promote Jonathan Ornelas

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The Rangers will call up infielder Jonathan Ornelas from Triple-A prior to Monday’s game with the Athletics, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports (Twitter link).  Ornelas will take the roster spot of Josh Jung, as the third baseman is headed for the 10-day injured list after suffering a fractured thumb in today’s 6-0 win over the Marlins.  It will mark the Major League debut for the 23-year-old Ornelas whenever he makes his first in-game appearance.

Ornelas is already on the Rangers’ 40-man roster, as Texas added him last winter in advance of the Rule 5 Draft.  A third-round pick for the Rangers in the 2018 draft, Ornelas has displayed some good on-base numbers over the last two seasons in the minors, though his overall hitting profile has yet to truly develop, given his .250/.360/.348 slash line over 398 plate appearances at Triple-A this season.

This hitting potential ranks as the biggest question for MLB Pipeline (who rank Ornelas as the 14th-best prospect in the Rangers’ farm system) and Baseball America (28th).  As BA’s scouting report puts it, Ornelas is “an extremely aggressive hitter who has below-average swing decisions and pitch recognition.”  His hard-contact abilities are muted by his inconsistency at keeping those hard-hit balls off the ground, though he has enjoyed some high BABIPs during his minor league career.  As for fielding, Baseball America gave Ornelas a modest 45 on the 20-80 scouting scale, while Pipeline was notably higher with a 60-grade for his glovework, describing Ornelas as a good utility infield candidate whose ultimate MLB future will be determined by how well he can fare at the plate.

Ornelas has mostly played shortstop in the minors, also garnering a good amount of time at second base, third base, and center field.  This ability to play shortstop might be why Texas opted to promote Ornelas, as beyond Jung’s injury, Corey Seager is not yet entirely recovered from a recent thumb sprain that resulted in an IL trip.  Seager didn’t play today and manager Bruce Bochy told the Associated Press and other reporters that Seager may also sit out Monday’s game for additional rest.

Ezequiel Duran is the first-choice substitute at shortstop if Seager isn’t in the lineup, but Duran and Josh H. Smith now also figure to split duties at third base in Jung’s absence.  With utilityman Brad Miller also on the IL recovering from a hamstring strain, Ornelas will provide the Rangers with another multi-positional depth option as they figure out how to both fill Jung’s spot and manage Seager’s health.

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