The Texas Rangers have gone through a difficult stretch against teams they should've handled business against. After being swept by the Los Angeles Angels , the Rangers were no-hit by the Houston Astros on Monday.
Shockingly, Texas responded the next day with an eight-run first inning to cap off a 10-7 victory. The inconsistencies of the offense have been a common theme this year, and it was quite apparent in the first two games of this Houston series.
On Wednesday, the Rangers made a couple of moves to shake up the roster. Per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, outfielder Andrew McCutchen was designated for assignment. In addition, they agreed to a one-year Major League contract with infielder Nicky Lopez .
Texas Rangers left fielder Andrew McCutchen looks on after striking out. | William Liang-Imagn Images
McCutchen agreed to a deal with Texas during spring training and burst onto the scene. The 39-year-old showed no signs of slowing down, picking up nine hits in 21 at-bats, and earning a spot on the Opening Day roster. He carried that momentum into the first few games of the regular season, with a hit in his first five games.
Unfortunately, that hot start cooled off pretty quickly. He slashed .192/.277/.260 in 37 games. He was used as a platoon designated hitter against left-handed pitching, but was utilized sporadically. His veteran presence quickly impacted the team, but his lack of production ended his tenure with the Rangers.
Lopez is an 8-year veteran who has spent time with five different teams, including a five-year stint with the Kansas City Royals . The 31-year-old has been terrific in Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting .333 in 15 games before being traded to the Chicago Cubs on April 23rd. He was DFA'd on May 23rd.
Chicago Cubs infielder Nicky Lopez. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Lopez will have an opportunity to make an impact, as he was put into the starting lineup for Wednesday's game. He'll bat ninth and start at second base. Lopez had a funny comment about his newest teammate, Jacob deGrom.
Per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com, Lopez said, "I'm glad I'm sharing the diamond with Jacob deGrom now. I don't ever wanna see him again." The move for Lopez gives the Rangers a middle infielder who can make an impact on the defensive end.
Lopez was a Gold Glove finalist in 2020 and 2024 at second base. That position has been an issue defensively for Texas this year. Josh Smith is currently on the injured list, which opened the door for Justin Foscue . The addition of Lopez could take time away from Foscue if he can contribute offensively.
He'll join a middle infield pairing with Ezequiel Duran while Corey Seager remains on the injured list with back inflammation.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers/onsi as Why the Rangers Moved on From Andrew McCutchen to Sign Nicky Lopez .
