In a move that was sure to come sooner or later, the Texas Rangers have traded outfielder Wille Calhoun to the San Francisco Giants. MLB.com was the first to break the news on Thursday afternoon. In exchange for Calhoun, the Rangers will be receiving outfielder Steven Duggar, and cash considerations from the Giants. A lot of people, including this writer, saw this coming at some point. On May 3rd, the struggling outfielder requested a trade from the Rangers. That request was likely prompted by the news that he was being sent down to Triple-A Round Rock.
End of an Era
The Rangers’ trade of Calhoun to the Giants brings a five-year tenure in Texas to an end. He came to the Rangers in 2017 as part of the Yu Darvish trade at the deadline that year. At the time, Calhoun was rated as the No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He made his Major League debut on September 12, 2017 against the Seattle Mariners. In that September stretch, he slashed .265/.324/.353 with one home run and four RBI in 13 games. He had another stint with Rangers in 2018. That stint lasted for 35 games, in which he hit .222 with two home runs, and 11 RBI. in 2019, he really impressed by hitting 21 home runs in a span of 83 games for the Rangers.
Calhoun’s Struggles
This year, however, has not been as productive for the 27-year old outfielder. He was hitting just .136 with one home run and two RBI in 18 games this year before being optioned. He signed a $1.3 million contract with the Rangers in the offseason to avoid arbitration. It will be very interesting to see how Calhoun adjusts not only to a new team, but also to a new league. Perhaps he can find success with the Giants, and can become as much of a fan favorite there as he was with Texas.
Steven Duggar
The Rangers’ trade of Calhoun brings a new face to Texas. Steven Duggar is primarily known for his glove rather than his bat. He has been on the Injured List since April 21st when he suffered a left oblique injury against the New York Mets. His rehab assignment ended on Thursday. Duggar played in 107 games for the Giants last year. In that stretch, he hit .257 with eight home runs and 35 RBI while tallying a 0.6 dWAR in the field. He was batting .194 with four RBI in 12 games this year, and he ranks in the 64th percentile in sprint speed.
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