Former Rangers All-Star and fan-favorite signs with Arizona Diamondbacks

A former Texas Rangers All-Star and fan-favorite is on the move again for the third time in four years. Elvis Andrus will join the National League for the first time in his career.

Andrus recently signed a minor-league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks -- the Rangers' World Series oppponent in 2024.

Andrus, who is now 35 years old, spent, the first 11 years of his career with the Rangers, making his debut at shortstop in 2009 at the age of 20. During his time in Arlington, aside from messing with Adrian Beltre and causing havoc in the dugout, he was known for his ability to get on base, which served him well as the team's leadoff hitter for quite some time.

Andrus was also known to be aggressive on the base paths, averaging 31 stolen bases in his first six seasons in Texas (he's the active stolen base leader in franchise history). He was also well-recognized league-wide for being an exceptional shortstop, rarely committing errors. His stellar performance with the Rangers was acknowledged when he was voted to two All-Star games in 2010 and 2012.

He remained with the Rangers until the 2021 offseason, then he was traded to Oakland A's in exchange for Jonah Heim and former DH Khris Davis.

During his time in Oakland, Andrus struggled to put up numbers like he did in Arlington. In his final season with the A's, he finished the year with a .237 batting average, which was the lowest he's ever logged during his professional career.

He has had somewhat of a resurgence since the Chicago White Sox acquired him at the 2022 trade deadline. One memorable moment Andrus had in Chicago was when he got his 2,000th hit in 2023. He finished his time in Chicago with a .261 average, which indicated he might be turning things around.

Hopefully, Andrus can have a successful showing with the Diamondbacks this season. If Andrus does make the team, he will most likely serve as a mentor to Diamondbacks' top prospect Jordan Lawlar. Lawler, a Dallas native, is an up-and-coming shortstop looking to start the season in Arizona and could benefit from the guidance of a seasoned veteran like Andrus.

Once Andrus decides to retire from the MLB, the Rangers will most likely have a spot waiting for him in their franchise Hall of Fame.