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The Texas Rangers are going back to the drawing board at shortstop.
Corey Seager went on the injured list after Wednesday's game against the Athletics. While the team has selected Nick Ahmed's contract, he is simply not a long-term solution.
Initial reports showed Seager's injury is mild, and he may miss very little time. However, hamstring injuries tend to linger longer than anticipated. If that happens, the Rangers could pursue Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Kiner-Falefa has gotten off to a strong start for the Pirates. While he has a Gold Glove to his name, he's not known for defensive wizardry like Nolan Arenado or even his teammate Ke'Bryan Hayes. However, he will make the routine plays on a consistent basis.
The 30-year-old shortstop is also swinging a hot bat to start the season. Despite hitting in the bottom third of the order, Kiner-Falefa leads the team with a .291 batting average entering Thursday. He's driven in seven runs and has 28 total bases, third on the Pirates.
Kiner-Falefa may not be an exact replica of Seager, but the Rangers won't find that anywhere. However, he would provide Bruce Bochy a steady option at shortstop.
Texas would also not have to give up much in the way of prospects if it were to push for Kiner-Falefa in a trade. He is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and the Pirates will more than likely allow him to walk in free agency.
Acquiring Kiner-Falefa would be a low-risk roster move for the Rangers, and Kiner-Falefa could easily shift into a rotational role when Seager returns.
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About the writer
Drew VonScio is a Newsweek contributor based in Pittsburgh, PA. His focus is on MLB content. Drew has been with ... Read more