Rangers must address this brewing Jake Burger problem before it's too late

If you've been noticing Jake Burger's increasing whiff rate against right-handed pitching, you're not alone. The slugging first baseman has been coming up empty against righties all season, and it is becoming a serious liability in the middle of the Texas Rangers' lineup.

He's doing much better against lefties, and that would suggest that he is a prime candidate for a platoon situation alongside someone who has proven they can be successful against right-handers because they make up the majority of pitchers in the league.

Seeing some of the players who are getting reps at first at both the big league level and in the minors shows that the club is looking to make an adjustment to fix the situation.

The righty/lefty splits for Jake Burger are causing roster questions for the Rangers

Here's the issue, as of June 13, Burger is hitting just .231, with a .693 OPS against RHP vs. a .292 batting average and .935 vs LHP. Seven of his eleven homers and 27 of his 41 RBIs have come against southpaws. He is clearly a very different hitter against righties, and the scouting report is out on him across the league.

If you watch Burger's approach at the plate, you'll see how he opens his hips with his left foot pointing toward third base when he swings. It makes him exceptionally vulnerable to pitches on the outside half of the plate, and particularly ineffective against sweepers running away from him, which he has been unable to pick up on and lay off.

Against lefties, he is not penalized for his open hips nearly as much as the ball is typically coming toward his center of gravity as it crosses the plate. He can hide that gaping hole in his swing much more easily against lefties, being a majority pull hitter.

It looks like the Rangers are tinkering with a plan to implement a platoon situation at 1B with Ezequiel Duran getting some time at first, and Josh Smith playing first during his minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Round Rock, returning from viral meningitis.

In a perfect world, Skip Schumaker would be able to platoon Smith with Burger and use him against righties as the left-handed hitter. It would also allow him to keep Duran's red-hot bat in the lineup every day at second base.

Smith is also a superior defender to Burger, so you would feel more comfortable with him there over both Burger and Joc Pederson, who you can use at 1B if you're really desperate. Justin Foscue is also an option in a pinch.

Keep an eye on who is getting innings at first in the coming days, because Schumaker and the coaching staff know they have a problem with Burger against righties, and are looking for better options moving forward.

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