Off center.


DeShields’s 2019 slash line: .249/.324/.672.

Mike Trout. Delino DeShields.

It’s really not a fair comparison. It’s like bringing a butter knife to a gunfight. 

The Angels have the best centerfielder in baseball, the best player of our generation, when it’s said and done one of the all-time greats.

So, taking Trout out of the story, how did the Rangers compare with the rest of the American League West in centerfield?

Not good. But at least they weren’t Seattle. The bulk of centerfield was taken up by Delino DeShields, with Joey Gallo and Danny Santana in the mix to bring up the numbers. Even Scott Heineman played a few games in center.

The Rangers have already announced Gallo will be a corner outfielder next season. So, that leave the job to Santana, DeShields, or bringing in someone else. With so many holes to fill, it would make sense to just give it to Santana, with DeShields as the backup, and plug their holes at first, second, third, behind the plate, in the rotation, and in the bullpen. 

Not to be sadistic, here is how the Rangers compared to Mike Trout in centerfield, oh, and the rest of the division. 

And here are available free agent centerfielders. There’s no help here. 

Jerrod Dyson 
Billy Hamilton 
Carlos Gomez

*****

Tomorrow, right field.