2 trade destinations should the Rangers decide to move Jake Burger

Jake Burger led the Texas Rangers in home runs (28) and RBIs (90) in 2026. Despite that, you will still find many fans who believe the team can do better than the 30-year-old first baseman. And if you look at his statistics a little more closely, you will understand why.

He slashed just .228/.302/.421and had an average-ish OPS+ of 108. While these were marked improvements over his injury-riddled 2025 season, they are not the kind of numbers that Chris Young and the Rangers were expecting when they signed him as a free agent from Miami after the 2024 season.

Burger is under team control for two more seasons, but he doesn't necessarily fit Chris Young's vision of a "younger and more athletic" roster moving forward. So, while he is forecast to be part of the organization for 2027, it is not a done deal, and he could be non-tendered.

With that in mind, should the Rangers decide to move on from the big right-handed slugger, there are two good options that we have researched and would be in favor of pursuing.

2 potential trade targets for Rangers first baseman Jake Burger

Burger has never hit right-handed pitching very well. For his career, he is a .239/.294/.435 hitter versus righties, and in 2026 was even worse, slashing .215/.289/.370. The way he pulls off the ball and opens up the left side of his body when he swings leaves him open to good pitches on the outer half of the plate. As a result, he struck out a team-leading 167 times last season.

Ideally, Burger figures to be a better platoon piece than an everyday player, and there are several teams out there that are looking for a power right-handed bat.

The Mets could use a compliment to lefty Jared Young. In 350 at-bats, all 15 of his home runs have come against right-handed pitching. He has yet to go yard against a southpaw. They have tied platooning right-handed bats, including Mark Vientos and Jorge Polanco, but they have yet to find a suitable replacement for Pete Alonso. Young, Vientos, and Polanco have combined for a -1.1 fWAR since Alonso's departure

No one is going to mistake Burger for Alonso, but his 2.0 bWAR in 2026 would be a significant upgrade over what they got in 2026. The power bat also has to be attractive for the Mets, as they have gotten almost no production from the right-handed half of their platoon.

Between Vientos and Polanco, the Rangers would likely pursue Vientos. He had a down year in 2026, but is 26 years old and slashed .266/.322/.516 as recently as 2024. Polanco is 33, and his best years appear to be behind him. Vientos just qualified for arbitration with three years of MLB service. He is projected to cost somewhere between $2.5 million and $2.7 million for the 2027 season, which means he could be had cheaply.

Another team that could be in line with interest in Burger as a platoon partner is the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers paired right-hander Spencer Tokelson opposite lefty Colt Keith at times in 2026. They could use an upgrade as well.

Torkelson has a career .795 OPS against lefties and a .731 OPS against righties. He also struck out an eye-popping 194 times in 526 at-bats in 2026. His 27 HRs and 77 RBIs are similar to Burger's, but the Tigers (and their fanbase) could be looking to move on from the strikeout-prone Torkelson. Burger is also a superior defensive first baseman.

They have Keith waiting and in need of a full-time position, but may not want to trust the everyday first-base job to the up-and-coming lefty. Burger could be a nice platoon partner for the 2027 season.

The Tigers also have an intriguing prospect in infielder Max Anderson. The power-hitting right-hander slashed .302/.386/.486 and is a pure, high-contact hitter. He may be too highly valued by the Tigers to deal, but it never hurts to ask. They are so unhappy with Torkelson and his slumps that they might be willing to bite on Burger and part with their No. 10 overall prospect for a proven first baseman who can replace Torkelson's numbers immediately.

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