2 pending Rangers injury returns create an uncertain future for a pair of bench sparkplugs

Even as the Rangers have struggled mightily over the last 10 days, there have still been a few bright spots that have emerged. The silver lining has come in the form of two unlikely injury replacements, infielder Nicky Lopez and catcher Elias Diaz.

They have come in and performed admirably, playing for the injured Corey Seager and Danny Jansen. In the next few days, however, Seager and Jansen will be back, and some decisions will have to be made about the roster and what will happen to Lopez and Diaz.

Nicky Lopez and Elias Diaz have been doing the behind-the-scenes dirty work for the Rangers

Since coming over from the White Sox in late May, Lopez has performed better than expected, filling in for Corey Seager and Josh Smith. In 18 games is hitting .308/.345/.385. He has also played solid-if-not-spectacular defensively at both middle infield spots.

Diaz, who got the call from the Rangers the first week of June, has slashed an outstanding .364/.364/.455 coming up with some big hits and RBIs in key moments. He has also handled the pitching staff well while providing better defense than both Danny Jansen and Kyle Higashioka.

Seager is due back any day now with "minor concussion symptoms" after his collision at home plate ten days ago. Danny Jansen is also set to return from the 10-day IL in the next few days due to right forearm discomfort.

For Lopez, it was telling how much Chris Young and Skip Schumaker value what he brings to the team when it was Josh Smith who was sent down and Michael Helman transferred to the 60-day IL to keep the versatile utility man on the active roster when Jarred Kelenic was called up on Friday.

Diaz is also going to be tough to sit as he has come in and performed better than both of the Rangers' platooning catchers and fit right in immediately with a veteran pitching staff. Either way, some tough decisions will have to be made, and considering that the organization is paying Jansen $14.5 million over two years, it makes that decision even harder, as they are unlikely to move on from respected veteran Higashioka.

Obviously, when Seager is healthy, which is becoming very rare these days, he is going to be a plug-and-play shortstop, meaning fewer reps for Lopez.

More than anything, the pair of scrap heap pickups have been sparkplugs that do the little things for Texas. Whether it's heads-up baserunning, dropping down a key bunt, or making a superb defensive play, Lopez and Diaz have been there.

Their bats will eventually cool, but that dirty work doesn't go away. Having guys who relish rolling their sleeves up and doing the behind-the-scenes stuff that winning clubs need is important.

The question will be, can they hang onto their roster spots once the bigger names get healthy? Lopez seems to have a better shot, as Cody Freeman or Justin Foscue can easily be sent down. However, Diaz is in a more precarious spot. Do the Rangers eat Jansen's money? How do they feel about Diaz versus Kyle Higashioka?

That is the real tough question, and it could result in the 2023 All-Star Game MVP once again having to find a new home, even if it seems like a mistake.

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