Texas Rangers Catcher’s Offense Already Benefiting from Switch to Platoon

The Texas Rangers are deploying a platoon behind the plate this season and the results are already paying off for the incumbent starter.

Matthew Postins | Mar 29, 2025

Mar 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim (28) hits a home run during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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Texas Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas — Signing free-agent catcher Kyle Higashioka wasn’t punishment for Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim. It was necessary, team leadership felt, to help get Heim back to being the hitter he was in 2023.

The Rangers envision the pair as a platoon. Higashioka plays one day, Heim plays the next, within reason. Manager Bruce Bochy said that matchups and how well each player is playing could influence who plays.

Higashioka played on opening day, in part of the result of having a better spring at the plate than Heim. On Friday against the Boston Red Sox, Heim started behind the plate.

Early returns show the platoon may be agreeing with him. Both Bochy and Heim have noticed a build-up the past week in batting practice of Heim’s swing getting back into line.

“Leaving spring training I felt really good,” Heim said. “The body’s been in a really good spot. Obviously, the numbers weren’t there in spring. But as people like to say, that doesn’t matter.”

Heim hit Texas’ first home run of the season in the third inning off Tanner Houck, a 360-foot shot he sent into right field. The switch-hitting Heim was batting from the left side of the plate against the right-handed Houck.

In the fifth inning, with the game tied at 1-1, Heim homered again, also off Houck, a 417-foot shot to right-center field that gave the Rangers the lead for good in a 4-1 victory.

For context, Heim hit just 13 home runs last year as his offensive production took a tumble. He slashed .220/.267/.336 with 12 doubles, a triple and 598 RBI in 131 games, with 110 starts at catcher.

The offensive slippage from 2023 was noticeable. That season he slashed .258/.317/.438 with 18 home runs and 95 RBI, missing part of the season with a tendon sheath injury that the Rangers initially thought might keep him out for the rest of the season.

Instead, he played 131 games and was behind the plate for every postseason game of the Rangers’ run to its first World Series title.

Heim’s offense is meaningful to a team that, on paper, may have the deepest lineup in baseball. On Friday, he batted eighth.

“It’s a deep lineup, it really is,” Bochy said. “When he’s in there it’s a deep lineup with a lot of power.”

The wear and tear behind the plate is something the Rangers are trying to cut down on with the 29-year-old Heim. He’s played at least 127 games each of the last three seasons. With Joc Pederson now the everyday designated hitter — at least against right-handed pitching — that spot is no longer a place to stash Heim on a day where he needs a rest.

Hence, the platoon. Heim’s ability to switch-hit is valuable and the Rangers want to keep him sharp. If having him share time with Higashioka leads to games like Friday, Texas will gladly take the benefit.

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