Why the Rangers should avoid re-signing this veteran outfielder

Last season, the Texas Rangers' offense was extremely disappointing. The group ranked at around the bottom third of the league in various offensive categories, and did not come close to matching their 2023 form.

Their outfield as a whole was very poor, but this could improve with the subtraction of Travis Jankowski, who just became a free agent.

Jankowski was one of the worst offensive players in Major League Baseball last season. In fact, he has been a below average hitter his entire career. But, 2024 was even worse than one would expect. He does have an above average glove at every spot in the outfield, but it did not make up for his poor bat given he finished the season with a -0.3 fWAR.

Why the Rangers should avoid re-signing this veteran outfielder

Texas will return a strong core of outfielders next season, starting with rookie Wyatt Langford. He put together a solid first year, and should make a big impact in 2025. Adolis Garcia took a step back in 2024, but is looking like a strong rebound candidate for next season.

Evan Carter could also be due for a big year. He got hurt around the middle of 2024, but will likely be healthy towards the start of spring training. Leody Taveras will probably be the fourth outfielder off of the bench, and could add pop as well.

This means the Rangers may have four solid outfielders on the roster already, and might not have any room for Jankowski. A reunion would be pointless with the way the team is currently constructed.

Last season, Jankowski had a batting average of .200 with one home run and 12 runs driven in. His OPS sat at .508, along with a wRC+ of 48 and a strikeout percentage of 21.3%. These marks are very poor, and illustrate another reason why the Rangers should stay away from the veteran.

Overall, Jankowski has brought a solid glove to Texas. But, he has not been a productive enough bat to gain another chance with the club. The Rangers should look to target more offensively driven players in free agency instead of defensive specialists like Jankowski.