Danny Santana is going to be a busy man in 2020. Not only is he the Rangers’ starting centerfielder as of today, he is also the backup second baseman, backup shortstop, backup first baseman, and backup third baseman.
Who needs a depth chart when you have Santana?
But the Rangers middle infield isn’t deep. To begin with, the guys who presently occupy the top of those charts were among the bottom offensively in many categories.
And they represent the best the Rangers have at second and short.
Nick Solak can back up at second. Isiah Kiner-Falefa can back up at short. But that’s two men doing what you usually have one for. Having the extra twenty-sixth man on roster takes some of the pressure off but the Rangers need someone who can jump in and play either middle infield position.
They seem to have a guy like that every season, because guys like that are important. Last season it was Logan Forsythe. Before that it was Jurickson Profar. Other names like Pete Kozma, Adam Rosales, Hanser Alberto, Donny Murphy, Josh Wilson come to mind.
Those last-man-on-the-roster types that can play all over.
Yes, Santana can do that. But it’s hard to play all over when he’s playing in center. He’s fast but he can’t cover the much ground.
It seems like the Rangers are primed to make a trade for a utility guy who can play second and short because that’s what every team needs and that’s what this team doesn’t have.
Maybe a call to Adam Rosales’s agent might be in order.