DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - The Rangers identified two areas of need as they get back to re-building the club this offseason after MLB free agency re-opened following an agreement between the owners and the MLB Players Association on Thursday, but third base evidentially isn't one of them.
With top prospect Josh Jung is expected to miss most of the season due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder, it appeared as if Isiah Kiner-Falefa was a lock to be the club's starting third baseman on Opening Day. However, that might have been the plan all along.
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In a visit with the media Friday from spring training in Suprise, AZ, Rangers manager Chris Woodward, via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, said that it would have been difficult for Jung to unseat Kiner-Falefa for the starting job in camp. Woodward also said that his first phone call post-lockout was to IKF to inform him that third base is "his job to lose."
Rangers brass was asked Friday if they were looking at options outside of the organization to compete with Kiner-Falefa for the job at the hot corner, but they appear to be set on going with someone internally.
"I think we have really good options. I think one of the strengths of our club right now (is that) we have a lot of versatility in the infield. Between (Isiah Kiner-Falefa), Marcus (Semien), Corey (Seager), Andy (Ibanez), Nick (Solak), Yonny (Hernandez) … we have a lot of versatility there and coverage at a lot of the infield positions, so we're very comfortable with (Kiner-Falefa) at third and excited for him to have this opportunity."
Kiner-Falefa was rumored to be a potential trade candidate for the club this offseason with Jung set to take over at third as early as Opening Day. There are still teams in need of infield help, with the Yankees being one known suitor of IKF before the lockout. But it appears as if those talks will now be put on hold with the 26-year-old getting another opportunity to lock down a starting job in the Rangers infield this spring.
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