Skip Schumaker heaps big praise on Rangers utilityman who's earned 26-man roster spot

The Rangers' game last night didn't go well for Jacob Latz, but it went well for utilityman Ezequiel Durán, who hit his third homer of the spring.

After his third homer of the spring last night, Durán is slashing .293/.408/.585 with three doubles and 10 RBI. He wasn't guaranteed an Opening Day roster spot heading into spring training, but he has definitely earned a spot on the big-league team with his recent hot streak. Manager Skip Schumaker agrees.

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker says Ezequiel Durán earned Opening Day roster spot

Durán has improved as a defender throughout his career and possesses outstanding speed. However, his lack of offensive production over the last two years has kept him off the big-league roster regularly; he appeared in 92 games in 2024 and 90 in 2025. Hopefully his strong spring stats translate to a bounce-back 2026 season. We know he can be better, as he posted a strong .276/.324/.443 (OPS+) slash line with 24 homers, 22 doubles and 46 RBI in 2023.

When will Ezequiel Durán be in the Rangers' starting lineup in 2026?

It's going to be difficult for Schumaker to work Durán into the lineup regularly. But since Durán can play every position except for catcher and pitcher, he should still get plenty of opportunities if he continues to look sharp at the plate. A strong start to the season for Durán could lead to him starting a couple of times per week or more.

Since Josh Smith is a lefty, Schumaker may opt to have Durán, who bats from the right side, start at second base when facing southpaws. If Evan Carter struggles to hit lefties again this season, Durán could also find himself starting in the outfield against southpaws. It's also possible the Rangers may cut their losses and designate Joc Pederson for assignment if the former Dodger continues to disappoint at the plate, which could lead to more playing time for Durán.

It's important to keep in mind that spring training stats don't always translate to the regular season. Durán could easily return to the version of himself from the last two years. Regardless, Durán has proved he deserves an opportunity to occasionally be in the starting lineup, as Schumaker pointed out.

It feels like Durán has been in the majors forever, but he's just 26 years old. It's possible we haven't yet seen the best version of Durán on the diamond.