Rangers second base need should have them targeting Jazz Chisholm Jr. over Luis Arraez

The Texas Rangers have a need at second base, but there are a variety of ways that they could go about solving it. On the one hand, Justin Foscue and his .981 OPS against left-handed pitching could handle one side of a platoon, and the Rangers could find a cheap one-year stopgap in a veteran like Jeff McNeil to be the left-handed counterpart. Or, they could take the obvious path and plug in Ezequiel Duran, though the loss of his versatility might do more harm than good.

If Texas wants to make a splash, though, and there's some serious doubt as to whether or not they'll be able to spend, the second base class is one of the deepest position groups in what is overall a thin free-agent market.

There are former Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Brandon Lowe, three-time batting champion Luis Arraez, former New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Chisholm Jr.'s predecessor and former Detroit Tiger Gleyber Torres. Choices abound.

Going back to the trade deadline, the Rangers have been linked to Arraez, and many believe that the club should pursue him again this winter. That would be misguided, though, and the actual best choice would be Chisholm Jr. There are a few reasons why.

Neither Luis Arraez nor Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a perfect fit for the Rangers, but Chisholm Jr. makes more sense

Arraez is a fascinating player, and as a result, he's always going to capture the hearts and minds of fans. He doesn't strike out (4.3% K-rate in 2026, 5.8% career) in an era when strikeouts are more prominent than ever. He hits for a high batting average, which appeals to a certain kind of fan who longs for a more contact-oriented game. He has his merits.

However, Chris Young has stated that the goal is to get more athletic and dynamic in 2027, and that's not really Arraez's game. The well-traveled second baseman doesn't run well, posting an average sprint speed of just 26.8 feet per second, a 33rd percentile performance. He doesn't have any power, either, reaching double-digit homers just once (10, in 2023). He has historically been a horrible defender at the keystone, frequently being moved to first base throughout his career.

Arraez is basically a one-trick pony. He doesn't walk, and that means if he's not dunking singles between the infielders and the outfielders, he has no means of producing at the plate. His defense seemed markedly improved in 2026, but former Rangers manager and infield guru Ron Washington deserves a lot of credit for that for his work with the 29-year-old with the Giants. Arraez's glove fell off a bit after he was shipped to the Philadelphia Phillies.

On the other hand, Chisholm is a dynamic player. He put together his first 30-30 campaign in 2025, and then stole another 41 bases this year despite missing nearly all of September with an injury, and chipped in nearly 20 homers, coming in at 19. Defensively, Chisholm Jr. has all the tools to be a good defender, though at times his execution is lacking.

The former Yankee isn't a perfect player, but he has the ability to impact the game in different ways, while if Arraez isn't batting well above .300, he isn't going to be a productive player. The Phillies saw firsthand when he hit just .278 for them down the stretch, producing just an 82 wRC+.

Finally, there's the question of cost. The boat has sailed on Arraez signing reasonable one-year deals. Spotrac has him pegged for a three-year, $54 million contract. Chisholm Jr. is coming off a down year, so while he was likely in line for a massive contract, that might not be the case now.

The Rangers might be able to convince him to sign a one-year pillow contract that somewhat resembles the qualifying offer, which this year comes in at just over $23 million. That's a big chunk of change to swallow, but perhaps Ray Davis would sign off on it because it would only be for one year. Chisholm Jr. would probably jump at the opportunity to reset his market, while still making a hefty salary in 2027.

Ultimately, the Rangers would get more home run pop and another player alongside Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford who can manufacture runs with his legs. That seems to better match Chris Young's priorities, and the contract demands could better align with Ray Davis's spending preferences. For those reasons, he's the better fit than Arraez, despite the rumors to the contrary.

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