Leody Taveras is 'Another' Texas Rangers Leadoff Hitter

Leody Taveras may be batting No. 9, but his importance to the Texas Rangers' offensive performance is clear.

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

On many Major League teams, Leody Taveras would probably be a leadoff hitter. For the Texas Rangers, he’ll have to settle for being the “another” leadoff hitter.

“Leo’s like another leadoff hitter before we get back to the top of the order,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said after Sunday’s 11-7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Taveras was a pivotal part of that win offensively, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. That included a two-run home run in the seventh inning.

The 24-year-old center field bats ninth most days for the Rangers, a position in the order usually given to a player hitting well below Taveras’ current .302 batting average.

He would be a necessity at the top of the order for most teams, a quick base runner that can hit for average and power. For the Rangers, he’s a luxury, but one they really can’t do without, either.

“That’s what works for us and that’s why we’ve been scoring runs,” Bochy said.

Taveras has built to this after spending the start of the season on the injured list with an oblique injury. He started slowly after returning from his rehab assignment. At the end of April, he was batting just .204.

Since the calendar turned to May, he’s been on an extended hot streak. His May batting average (.368) was best in the American League among qualifiers. He was also tied for third in hits, ninth in on-base percentage and tied for 10th in times on base (44).

He’s hovered at .300 ever since. In fact, his .302 batting average is 10th in the Majors among qualifiers.

Yes, the Rangers’ No. 9 hitter has the best batting average on the team among qualifiers (Corey Seager’s .363 and Ezequiel Duran’s .309 are higher, but they don’t have enough at-bats yet).

Taveras said he’s worked to keep things simple.

“I just try to learn something new every day,” Taveras said. “Just doing my best with the coaches and trying to go into the game and not do too much.”

Entering the series with the Chicago White Sox, he’s slashing .302/.357/.495/.852 with eight home runs and 32 RBI. Even as a switch-hitter, his batting average splits are relatively consistent — .288 against right-handers and .310 against left-handers.

His play at the plate has been three years in the making. After breaking in during the COVID-shortened 2020 season with a .227 average, he tumbled in 2021, batting .161 in 49 games and splitting his time between the Rangers and Triple-A Round Rock.

In 2022, the Rangers started him at Round Rock to get consistent at-bats and recalled him on June 13. It worked. Taveras returned and slashed .261/.309/.366/.675 in 99 games.

But the power is new. With eight home runs, he’s already passed the career-high of five set last season. With three more RBI, Taveras will overtake his personal best of 34.

And he’ll continue to bat ninth, because that’s what the other leadoff hitter does.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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