Moving Ezequiel Duran to second base would be a mistake for the Rangers

Ezequiel Duran was the Texas Rangers' 2026 MVP. In a season where injuries and inconsistency were a theme, "The Solution" was available every day to fill whatever hole Skip Schumaker needed. What an incredible luxury to have a player so versatile that you can play him anywhere on the field and not only not suffer a drop-off defensively, but, in some cases, upgrade the position.

The team is still in search of a full-time second baseman after 2026 saw a revolving door including Duran, Josh Smith, Nicky Lopez, Justin Foscue, and Cameron Cauley. Schumaker obviously would prefer to have more stability at the position, and Zeke is the clear choice following his breakout season, in which he could easily win both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger as a utility man.

It would be a mistake, however, to limit Duran to 2nd base next year, and there is one big reason why.

Rangers must avoid the temptation to put Ezequiel Duran exclusively at 2nd base in 2027

With perhaps the exception of Nicky Lopez, Duran is the best defensive second baseman of the bunch. Nicky Lopez may not be back with the club next season. Skip Schumaker will be tempted to reward Zeke with the everyday second base position. It would be a huge mistake.

If you stick Duran at second base, then who is going to play shortstop when Corey Seager gets hurt? Because you know it's going to happen — and probably more than once. Who are you going to put in left field when Wyatt Langford goes down? What about the unlucky Josh Jung and out-of-shape Jake Burger? You know that losing these players for extended periods is not only a possibility, but, in fact, likely.

The Rangers have been injury-prone over the last three years, and Duran has been "the solution" for Schumaker and the Rangers every step of the way. In 2026, he finally was able to match his defensive prowess and versatility with a consistent campaign at the plate, setting career bests in at-bats, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases.

Last season, Duran played at least 14 games at five different positions. There is no substitute for that kind of versatility. It is a weapon that is unique to the Rangers that they would be foolish to surrender by bogging him down to a single position.

The ideal situation would be to bring Lopex back and platoon him with Justin Foscue at second and leave Zeke open to cover all the cracks that will inevitably appear over the course of 162 games. If the planets align and you have everyone healthy, you can either pencil Duran in at DH or play him anywhere on the field to give regulars a day off here and there.

The strength of Justin Foscue against lefties matters here, too. Last season he crushed southpaws to the tune of a .324/.395/.586 line. Now, his .512 OPS against righties leaves something to be desired, so a cheap left-handed-hitting complement such as Lopez, or another similar type of player, would be ideal.

The Rangers were remarkably average in 2026, but Zeke was their secret weapon that no other team could match. There's a reason that Shumaker would often be seen donning a T-shirt that read "The Solution" on it during interviews and pressers. He is aware of what Duran brings to the table, and maybe more importantly, so is Chris Young.

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