Constructing The Rangers' Opening Day Lineup

The Texas Rangers will have a much deeper lineup than last year, but what order will manager Chris Woodward go with in Toronto on Opening Day?

Spring training can be fickle. So while the Texas Rangers enter Monday with the best winning percentage, most runs scored and best run differential in Major League Baseball, proceed with extreme caution. 

Sure, be optimistic that the Rangers will be better than the 102-loss team from last year. Maybe they'll be considerably better. But we are nowhere near any need to alter your plans in October.

One of the tangibles we can take away from spring training is how manager Chris Woodward tinkers with the lineup. The expected regulars typically are on staggered schedules throughout the first couple weeks of Cactus League games. However, a truncated spring training has given us a real glimpse into what the Rangers' Opening Day lineup could look like.

Semien-Seager-Garver

This is one thing we know to be true—not only from the Cactus League lineup cards, but from what Woodward has said himself from the very beginning of camp. He wants the trio of Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Mitch Garver to bat either at the top of the lineup or hit 2-3-4. So far in spring training, we've only seen the former. The trio has started together in two of the nine Cactus League games thus far, and they batted 1-2-3 in both of those games.

In addition, every time Semien has started this spring, he's batted leadoff. Semien also batted leadoff most often with Toronto last season, and it fits the way Woodward wants to set the tone on the first pitch of the game.

"I love that the pitcher comes into the game on full alert," Woodward said on Wednesday. "The second he steps on that rubber, it's like, 'Oh boy, here we go.' There's no easy way to transition into a game. First pitch, it could be 1-0. It could be a tough at-bat or a double. Semien's gonna have a heck of an at-bat. That's pressure right from the beginning."

Ben Ludeman / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers

Marcus Semien (left), Corey Seager (right)

Sam Greene via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Mitch Garver

Ben Ludeman / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers

Nathaniel Lowe

Middle of the Lineup

Whether you're a traditionalist, purist or firmly cemented in analytics, the middle of the lineup comes with high expectations in run production. With Semien, Seager and Garver hitting 1-2-3, who can fill these three spots to capitalize on what is expected from the big guys at the top?

Nathaniel Lowe is the first and primary candidate to hit clean up. While the slug has yet to translate into a full season of play, few can deny the untapped power in Lowe's bat. In addition, Lowe is a very disciplined hitter and bats from the left side of the plate (following a righty in Garver).

Adolis García then likely fits the No. 5 spot in the order. There isn't as much pressure there as there is in the clean up spot, and if we learned anything from García's rookie year, he doesn't shy away from pressure. The Rangers Player and Rookie of the Year thrived in big spots. The main area the Rangers need to see improvement is in his plate discipline. Hitting fifth provides enough balance of having the opportunity to produce while not being the lineup's primary run producer.

"I think both (Lowe and García) are going to benefit from having seen the previous three at-bats," Woodward said. "We've had a ton of great dialogue heading into camp. What those two guys went through last year having to play everyday with not a lot of protection around them, first time playing in the big leagues, I expect a lot more out of them clearly."

When healthy, free-agent signing Kole Calhoun has developed into a dangerous hitter over the past few seasons. He slots in well as the sixth hitter, but with the ability to hit a spot or two higher if Lowe or García struggle or face a difficult individual matchup.

Ben Ludeman / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers

Adolis García

Ben Ludeman / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers

Kole Calhoun

Ben Ludeman / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers

Andy Ibáñez

A Deeper Bottom Third

This is where the lineup could be jostled the most, with a number of variables playing into Woodward's decision-making process. While some years we weren't even sure who the starters would be in these spots, it's a good bet Andy Ibáñez, Willie Calhoun and Brad Miller will slot here on Opening Day. The question is in what order?

Ibáñez may be the least accomplished hitter of the three, but we've seen little indication of him hitting ninth. The final spot in the batting order featuring the designated hitter—which is now the standard in both the American and National Leagues—has typically been a batter that can help flip the lineup over and set up the heavy hitters at the top of the order with an opportunity to do some damage on the scoreboard.

Taking this into account, and add in the fact the Ibáñez is a right-handed hitter that could follow Kole Calhoun, let's slot him in the No. 7 spot. Then take your pick between Miller and Calhoun at 8-9. Miller is a bigger power threat while Willie makes contact more consistently. Miller walks at a higher rate while Calhoun is better at handling left-handed pitching. But maybe if a lefty reliever is brought into the game late, Willie has a better chance of flipping the lineup over.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

1. 2B Marcus Semien (R)
2. SS Corey Seager (L)
3. C Mitch Garver (R)
4. 1B Nathaniel Lowe (L)
5. CF Adolis García (R)
6. RF Kole Calhoun (L)
7. 3B Andy Ibáñez (R)
8. LF Brad Miller (L)
9. DH Willie Calhoun (L)