Rangers offensive revamp shifts into shocking high gear with OF waiver

The personnel shakeup in Arlington has claimed another Texas Ranger on Sunday. Minutes after the Rangers dismissed offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker of his duties, outfielder Leody Taveras has reportedly been been placed on outright waivers by the team.

Ken Rosenthal broke the news and it is has since been confirmed by reporters that cover the team. Taveras is free to be picked up by any of the 29 other teams and they would be on the hook for the remainder of his $4.75 million this year.

The move comes after President of Baseball Operations Chris Young told the media that he would not hesitate to shake things up as the offense has struggled throughout the first 35 games of the new season. In the last week the team has optioned Jake Burger to Triple-A, called up Blaine Crim and now these two moves.

Known primarily for his plus range and throwing arm, Taveras has been patrolling center field for the Rangers on a regular basis since he took over the spot near the end of the 2022 season. He also excelled at reading balls off the bat and had above-average range that allowed him to cover the gaps well.

Offensively, Taveras never really broke out the way the club was hoping he would. A homegrown, Texas Ranger, he accumulated 39 homers and 168 RBIs over parts of six seasons while hitting a sub-par .240 over that span. He also stole 72 bases with a slash line of .240/.291/.370.

Taveras was the subject of some scrutiny earlier this year when he misplayed a single against the Oakland A's that cost the team a ballgame. Subsequently, an irritated Bruce Bochy sat the center fielder for a couple of games to get his head right.

Fans were also getting a little irked by Taveras' lacksidasical style of play, so when he casually fumbled the ball in Sacramento and the team ended up losing 4-3, it feels like the writing has been on the wall ever since.

As for who will be manning center, look for a combination of veteran Kevin Pillar and the youngster Dustin Harris to be platooning in his stead as the Rangers sort out a more permanent replacement. This could also pave the way for the return of Evan Carter to the major league roster.