Rangers make final bid at playoff run with veteran reinforcement

The Texas Rangers begin their last-ditch efforts to get back into the postseason race on Friday, and they'll be doing it with a new veteran on the roster. No, Chris Young hasn't swung any trades yet, but the team did call up former division rival Rowdy Tellez.

Tellez was called up to replace Jake Burger, who is embarking on his second IL stint of the 2025 season. Between his injuries and early-season struggles, Burger's first season in Globe Life hasn't turned out how anyone would have hoped. Now, the team finds itself hoping Tellez can provide an offensive boost for the final 65 games of the year.

Texas Rangers call up Rowdy Tellez to replace injured Jake Burger at first base

Calling up Tellez, rather than someone like Blaine Crim, sends a message that Young will hopefully follow up on before the trade deadline. The team has not pulled the plug on the season. It's hoping the veteran presence will lead to more wins. The team is not in "development" mode yet.

It's also a sign of how limited the Rangers' options are this season. Tellez has been objectively bad in 2025. There's a reason why the Seattle Mariners let him go. He's slashed just .208/.249/.434/.682 at the major league level. However, he has demonstrated that he still has the power bat. He hit 2 homers in just 4 games played at Round Rock. That power is clearly why he's the first man up to take over for Burger.

It's also worth pointing out that despite Tellez having a less-than-impressive campaign so far, his .682 OPS is better than Adolis García's (.682), Burger's (.659), Kyle Higashioka's (.656), Josh Jung's (.648), and Jonah Heim's (.608).

Indeed, that's more a statement on just how bad the Rangers' offense has been this season. But it's also a demonstration that Tellez could still be useful.

The Texas Rangers calling up Rowdy Tellez is essentially a signal that the team has 14 more days to prove it deserves to be buyers at the deadline. With a schedule that includes 9 of the next 12 games against teams under .500, this is it. This is the season.