Texas Rangers: 5 Questions Heading Into The 2017 Season

Can Adrian Beltre continue to perform at an elite level?

Somehow Adrian Beltre found the Fountain of Youth, because he just gets better with age. Now 37 years old Beltre continues to show that aging only makes him stronger. Coming off a 2016 campaign where he hit .300/.358/.521  with 32 home runs and 104 RBI.

Putting himself in the MVP conversation every season since joining Texas in 2011. Beltre has put together three All-Star performances, and numerous accolades during his time in Texas. Can he continue this success in 2017 and beyond?

Beltre is truly the heart and soul of the Rangers team. A major force in the middle of their lineup, but what if he slumps? Can the rest of the team pick up the slack if age finds a way to slow down Beltre?

His spring has already hit a bump with a quad strain. The Rangers need to prepare for the possibility that Beltre begins to regress. Signed through 2017 and ’18, the team hopes to get at least two more solid seasons from him.

If age does catch Beltre, the Rangers do have youngster Joey Gallo waiting in the wings. Adding Napoli to the lineup should help if Beltre has a down year. It’s tough to imagine Adrian Beltre having a bad season, but the team needs to be ready in case issues arise.