4 Rangers who must step up with Corey Seager once again on the IL

Unfortunately, Corey Seager being on the shelf is something the Texas Rangers have become very accustomed to since he arrived in Arlington almost 5 years ago. With the All-Star SS headed to the IL for the third time already in 2026, it's going to mean that several other players are going to have to elevate their games to keep the Rangers in the hunt for a 2026 playoff berth.

The onus will largely fall on the team's group of middle infielders. In particular, the three Swiss Army knives on the roster, Ezequiel Duran, Nicky Lopez, and Josh Smith, will need to raise the bar in July -particularly Smith, who has been awful so far. In addition, versatile new youngster Cameron Cauley could prove to be a force who brings a different dimension to the lineup in Seager's absence.

The Rangers will need Ezequiel Duran to be even better than he's already been

Zeke is already turning in his best major league season in 2026, but now he is going to have to be even better with Seager down. With his slash line of .276/.328/.414, he is a legitimate All-Star candidate. After the first voting results were released a week ago, he was second in the fan voting at second base, though he ultimately got snubbed when rosters were unveiled last night.

Duran will likely move over to shortstop and take the majority of the reps in Seager's stead. It's going to be tough for Duran to be much better than he has been with his 43 RBIs and his exceptional defensive play all over the field. But he will need to continue to drive the ball and provide a little more power with Seager out.

Nicky Lopez has been a Rangers' diamond in the rough already, and will have to continue to be with Corey Seager out

No one expected journeyman infielder Nicky Lopez to be as good as he has been in his 2026 stint with the Rangers. A career .249 hitter. The versatile middle infielder has shown up in Arlington and slashed an amazing .355/.388/.409 in 93 at-bats.

Lopez will have to continue to be the sparkplug guy who does all the little stuff well, as he will play both shortstop and second base while Seager recuperates. There isn't much Lopez can do better, but he will need to continue to outplay his averages.

Josh Smith is the Rangers player with the most room for improvement as he has battled illness and been demoted in 2026

Smith is a guy who can really pick up the slack, as he has been one of the biggest disappointments so far this season. Following a battle with viral meningitis, Smith lost his job to the emerging Duran and the unexpected ascension of Nicky Lopez, in being optioned down to the minors in June.

Smith is much better than his anemic .238/.331/.295 over 105 at-bats. He has just one homer in 2026 and has just eight RBIs. If there is room for improvement, it is definitely with the severely underperforming Smith. He should be fully recovered from his illness and needs to justify getting reps at second base and potentially taking at-bats away from either Duran, Lopez, or the promising rookie call-up Cameron Cauley.

Rangers need Cameron Cauley to use his dynamic athleticism to cover for Corey Seager in a different way

Speaking of the top prospect, Cauley can help add a new element to the Rangers' lineup and a creative way to cover for the perceived production the Rangers were hoping to get from Seager. While Seager is a power bat, Cauley's most intriguing asset might be his legs.

Texas ranks 24th in baseball with 42 steals; meanwhile, Cauley swiped 29 bags all by himself over just 74 games at Round Rock. That has value, as does his ability to take the extra base either when hitting the ball into the gap or as a base runner capitalizing on what a teammate has done at the plate.

His versatility gives Skip Schumaker the ability to get him into the lineup creatively, as he can play above-average defense at second base, shortstop, and center field, but the 23-year-old has hit just .167/.231/.333 over his first 12 at-bats. The sample size is tiny, but it's time for this young man to step up and stake his claim to a major league job, one that he can hold onto even when Seager returns.

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