Texas Rangers Must Find Role for Ezequiel Duran

In Corey Seager's absence, Ezequiel Duran played his way into an everyday role with the Texas Rangers.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is back. What does that mean for Ezequiel Duran?

Well, it means he won’t be playing shortstop every day.

But it doesn’t mean Duran will be on the bench. In the course of replacing Seager as the everyday shortstop, Duran has not only proved that he should get more playing time but that he’s a player the Rangers can’t do without.

“What hasn’t he done?” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy asked. “He’s played a terrific shortstop. Swung the bat really well, done a lot of damage. He’s been the guy. He’s been out there every day and handled everything thrown at him.”

If there were any questions about Duran’s ability to be an everyday Major League player, he spent Seager’s 31-game absence answering them. Bochy said he saw the quality of Duran’s play in Spring Training, but this was his first chance for everyday playing time at the MLB level. Given the opportunity, he’s flourished.

Duran enters the Colorado Rockies series Friday slashing .290/.323/.492/.815 with six home runs and 21 RBI. He’s already hit more home runs in 36 games than he did in 58 games a season ago.

And he is one of the big reasons why the Rangers are 26-17 and leading the American League West.

But Duran didn’t look the part when Seager went on the injured list April 12.

Duran was struggling and for the first few games, so Bochy went with Josh Smith at shortstop. Smith is an experienced shortstop, but his bat didn’t respond.

Duran had never played shortstop at the Major League level. But the Rangers gave him a spin on April 16 against Houston. He was batting .150 after that game.

Then he started to hit. His average shot as high as .328 on May 2 against Arizona Diamondbacks after going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a home run. At that point he was in the midst of making 17 straight starts at shortstop. Not coincidentally, he’s hit five of his six home runs in his last 19 games.

“Duran just ran with it,” Bochy said.

His glove responded in kind. Duran started making the great plays look routine. He’s been charged with three errors this season, but only one at shortstop on April 23 against the Oakland Athletics. He has 72 assists and 36 putouts so far this season, with 67 and 28 of them coming at shortstop, respectively.

Offense is great, Bochy said. But it rises and falls and every hitter experiences that. To truly stick, at least in Bochy’s world, you have to be able to play defense.

“The only way you’re going to run with it is to play consistent defense, which he’s done,” Bochy said. “I mean he made a play [Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves] and made it look easy. The ball’s going 150 mph, he backhands it and makes a perfect throw to first. He made a couple of great plays in Oakland. It’s almost been on a daily basis.”

Bochy said Duran has a “no fear” mentality. Tell him to go play a position and he’ll go play it. He’s already played second base, third base, left field and right field this season.

That’s why finding Duran consistent playing time may not be that complicated. Duran’s challenge in Spring Training was to play himself into a super-utility role, which he did.

Now, the Rangers just have to find him a place every day, and that could benefit the entire starting lineup.

“He can play anywhere,” Bochy said. “He can play any spot in the infield. He can give Corey a day, he can give Josh (Jung) a day, he can give Nate (Lowe) a day, he can give Marcus (Semien) a day. He can play all three outfield spots. He can even DH.”

Come Friday, we’ll see what Bochy does. But it’s clear Duran has earned the right to be a part of the everyday lineup, even if it means not having a consistent position every day.

The Rangers open the three-game interleague series against Colorado at 7:05 p.m. at Globe Life Field. Martín Pérez (4-1, 4.25) is scheduled to start for Texas.

More From SI’s Inside The Rangers:

1. Texas Rangers New Nike City Connect Jersey Pay Homage to Dallas-Fort Worth
2. Texas Rangers in Play to Sing Shohei Ohtani
3. Arlington Mayor Says Rougned Odor ‘Punch’ Mural to Stay
4. Texas Rangers Clubhouse ‘Insane’ Says Reliever
5. Texas Rangers MVP in 2023?
6. Predicting Texas Rangers 2023 Record
7. Jose Altuve Injury Potentially Helps Texas Rangers Playoff Chances
8. MLB Plan for Television Texas Rangers
9. Bally Sports Southwest to Televise Nearly All Rangers Games
10. Texas Rangers Unveil Exciting New Ballpark Food

---

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.