2 right-handed-hitting platoon partners for Evan Carter Rangers must consider, 1 they must avoid

2026 was supposed to be Evan Carter's year. After spending much of 2024 and 2025 on the IL dealing with various injuries, the hope was that the once-promising center fielder could finally stay healthy and realize the promise he showed during 2023's magical run. Carter did (mostly) stay healthy, logging a career-high 141 games, but posted an abysmal .194/.288/.315 line during those contests.

It's still too early to write the 2020 second-round pick off. At 24 years old, he's still a year and a half younger than Spencer Jones of the New York Yankees, who debuted for the first time in 2026. While many are just beginning their careers, Carter has already been through the wars of the postseason and gained valuable experience.

We've also seen flashes from the youngster. Over 22 games in July, he slashed .315/.431/.481. His defense was good enough to have him in the running for a Gold Glove in 2026. He still possesses the speed to be a factor on the bases.

But while Carter claimed to have unlocked something during that July surge, as his body was finally healthy and he allegedly had a better understanding of his swing, it wasn't meant to last. A swing overhaul is one thing he should strongly consider, as his penchant for weakly hit fly balls neutralizes his greatest asset, his speed.

Banish him to the bench, or even send him down to Round Rock, still aren't options that the Rangers should consider just yet. Instead, Texas needs to find a complement for him. Carter posted a woefully bad .329 OPS against lefties in 2026, which somehow was an improvement over his .303 career mark. Clearly, he should not be allowed to face southpaws in 2027, so where can the Rangers turn?

Wyatt Langford moved over the center for 17 games this season, but counting on him to consistently play in the middle of the defense is too great a risk. Texas has to hope that he, too, takes a leap in 2027, but that means keeping him healthy. Playing center adds even more toll on his body, so that should be out of the question.

A platoon partner from the free-agent pool is the club's best bet. From this class, there are two guys who would be good fits, and one who the Rangers need to avoid like the plague.

Two ideal free-agent platoon partners the Rangers should target to complement Evan Carter

Tyrone Taylor

Coming off a career year in which he hit .279/.325/.502 with 11 homers over 97 games, Tyrone Taylor should be the Rangers' first choice as a veteran right-handed-hitting platoon partner for Carter. Even if you dismiss the 32-year-old's 2026 campaign as a walk-year aberration, he has still consistently proven to bring enough pop to make for a nearly league-average bat, posting a career line of .243/.296/.425, which is good for a 98 wRC+.

In 2026, Taylor excelled against left-handed pitching, hitting .318/.348/.573, but also was serviceable against righties, posting a .239/.303/.431 line. For his career, the distinction isn't as stark, with a .744 OPS against lefties and a .710 mark against righties. He can play all three outfield positions, and can be a plus defender in center. He only logged 168 2/3 innings there in 2026, posting 1 DRS, but in 2025 recorded 7 DRS over 783 innings.

Simply put, Taylor can handle the weak side of a platoon, but also has the goods to step in and start in center should injury or ineffectiveness strike Carter.

Lane Thomas

Lane Thomas's 2026 campaign doesn't stand out as much as Taylor's, as the 31-year-old hit .224/.318/.383 with 11 dingers while splitting time between the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves, but he still has his merits as a platoon option in center.

Thomas slashed .262/.364/.440 against left-handed pitching in 2026, versus a .195/.282/.341 line against righties. For his career, he has posted an .848 OPS against lefties, versus a .664 mark against right-handers. That makes him more of a traditional platoon player than Taylor, whom he also pales in comparison to defensively. Still, if the job is mashing lefties while giving Carter the runway to figure things out against righties, Thomas is a solid option who Texas could sign on a cheap one-year deal.

The Rangers need to avoid this big name at all costs

Luis Robert Jr.

Thanks to his pedigree as a top prospect, as well as his magical 2023 campaign that saw him slug 38 homers and hit .264/.315/.542, Luis Robert Jr. will stand out as the highest-ceiling option once the Baltimore Orioles decline his $20 million option. However, it's been a long time since Robert Jr. reached those lofty heights.

The former Chicago White Sox is coming off a .211/.300/.407 campaign, and was only decent against southpaws, slashing .213/.294/.459. While he does have an .859 career OPS against them, that's heavily influenced by his early career success. Over the last three seasons, his OPS against lefties is just .718.

Some team will bet on Robert Jr. rediscovering his 30-30 potential, but that shouldn't be the Rangers. In addition to mostly disappointing in recent years, Robert Jr. has suffered a variety of injuries, being limited to 110 games or less each of the last three seasons, and playing in just 61 contests in 2026.

The idea behind a platoon partner for Carter is to provide Texas's lineup with stability. That's why Taylor makes the most sense because he's best suited to take over full-time if need be. Signing Robert Jr. would just be adding another boom-or-bust player to the mix, which, when combined with Carter, would give the Rangers a floor that is frighteningly low. This is one player who Chris Young must avoid at all costs.

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