Texas deals Frazier, Chirinos to Mets

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers' mission for September is obvious now that they have admitted they are out of postseason contention.

The Rangers, sitting at 12-21 with the third worst record in the American League, will use their final 27 games to take a hard look at their younger players. The Rangers set that up by trading pitcher Mike Minor to the Athletics and dealing catcher Robinson Chirinos and infielder Todd Frazier to the Mets, each for a player to be named.

TRADE DETAILS
Rangers get: PTBN
Mets get: C Robinson Chirinos

Rangers get: PTBN
Mets get: 1B/3B Todd Frazier

“Our moves today were not intended to make any sort of declaration different than where we were a week ago,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “It doesn't necessarily change the fact that we know we need to continue to develop a young group and supplement from the outside as well.”

Here is the impact of those trades:

• Jose Trevino is now the Rangers' No. 1 catcher, with Jeff Mathis as his backup.

• Isiah Kiner-Falefa should settle in as the everyday third baseman, and Ronald Guzmán will be given another chance to seize the first-base job. Guzmán, after spending most of the season at the alternate training site, was called up Friday and is 4-for-7 with a home run in the past two games.

• Right-hander Kyle Cody will get the first shot at filling Minor’s spot in the rotation. He has pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings over three games and was up to 39 pitches in his last appearance. Left-hander John King is also expected to be brought up from the alternate training site and will be given an extended look.

• Elvis Andrus is being activated off the injured list, while second baseman Rougned Odor is going on the IL because of an infection in his right eye.

• Outfielder Eli White is being called up from the alternate training site. With Odor on the IL, Nick Solak will continue to play second base, giving White a chance to join Leody Taveras and Joey Gallo in what has the potential to be a premium defensive outfield.

White was a strong candidate to make the Opening Day roster, but he was set back with a strained oblique muscle. That has since cleared up, and Daniels said White has been impressive at the alternate training site.

• The Rangers are also bringing back rookie Anderson Tejeda from the alternate training site. He has the ability to play second and shortstop.

The moves could be a sign the Rangers are running out of patience with Odor, who is signed for two more years at over $27 million but has hit .150/.198/.288 this season.

“I do think that these young guys can play and they're talented,” Daniels said. “Elvis will still play, but I do think it creates some competition where your performance dictates your playing time and not necessarily service time or contract. That's ultimately where we'd like to get to as we move forward.”

The Rangers have other highly regarded prospects at the alternate training site including catcher Sam Huff and infielders Josh Jung, Sherten Apostel and Justin Foscue. The Rangers could give them at least a short look at some point this month.

The moves also reflect the reality that, under the current economic conditions of the game, the Rangers are going to have less money to spend next year than they do this season.

“I've got a range,” Daniels said. “We have a number we've been using for planning purposes, but I would expect we will have additional conversations on that before we start moving into the offseason. I'm not certain what the overall budget will be. It will be down from where it was this year, but I'm not sure exactly where.”

Daniels said the Rangers were talking to the Mets about both players to be named from the Chirinos and Frazier deals, saying they've reached an agreement on Chirinos.

The Rangers were still talking with other clubs about Frazier, but they ultimately decided to send him back to the Mets. Texas is also owed another player to be named from the Mets in a trade earlier this season for pitcher Ariel Jurado.