There are times when you need to look at the bright side of things. This goes for life in general, not just baseball. Right now, it appears that focusing on the good is the only option left for the Texas Rangers this year. With a record of 48-88, they’re looking toward 2022 and beyond. One potential piece of the future for them is outfielder DJ Peters.
Pleasant Surprise
The Rangers acquired Peters on the waiver wire in early August from the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 18 games with the Dodgers in 2021, he hit .192 with one home run and four RBI. Since joining the Rangers shortly after the trade deadline, he is hitting .207. It’s not a dramatic leap in average, but his power numbers have improved greatly since coming to Arlington. He has hit nine home runs since the trade, many of them coming in late August. The Rangers haven’t won very many games that he has homered in, but he has managed to keep them close to a degree. He has also been a nice addition in the clubhouse as well.
Quick Glove
Peters is in the midst of his rookie year at the major league level. So far, he has played a total of 48 games. That is not a very big sample size. However, it is worth mentioning that he has not committed a single error in that stretch. For the moment, he holds a career fielding percentage of 1.000. While it is true that nothing lasts forever, one can’t help but be curious how long this errorless streak will last. Errors or not, he is still a very good find for the Texas Rangers. The fact that he joins the same outfield as Adolis Garcia has been very good.
It seems like on any given night, there is a very good chance that one of them will do something that is highlight-worthy. It could be a spectacular home run or a great catch. On September 5th, Peters hit two home runs and drove in four in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. These two alone have kept fans buying tickets in 2021.
Roster Moves
The Rangers still have several players on the COVID list. They would be right-handed pitchers Drew Anderson, Mike Foltynewicz, and Dane Dunning. The timetable for their return is still to be determined. Also on the list is Rangers’ infielder Brock Holt. Fellow infielder Andy Ibanez has been listed as day-to-day with tightness in his left hamstring. His return is also to be determined. Furthermore, Eli White is still on the IL with a strain in his right elbow. He was aiming for a return in late August, but setbacks have put a leaf in his timetable. Left-hander John King is still on the 60-day injured list with shoulder inflammation. That is a shame considering that King was one of the Rangers’ most durable relievers.
Up Next
The Rangers will finish their four-game series against the Angels in Anaheim on Monday evening. Then their road trip continues with two against the Arizona Diamondbacks and three against the Oakland Athletics before returning home.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players Mentioned:
DJ Peters, Adolis Garcia, Drew Anderson, Mike Foltynewicz, Dane Dunning, Brock Holt, Andy Ibanez, Eli White, John King
