Texas Rangers Projected To Lose Mitch Garver To AL Playoff Team

One American League has an acute need for a catcher and the offensive-minded Mitch Garver could be an option.

Texas Rangers catcher Mitch Garver is now a free agent and can sign with any team he chooses. 

The seven-year Major League veteran turns 33 in January. He could return to the Rangers where he played a valuable role in their first World Series title.

In his first turn at free agency, however, he and his agent are likely to leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding him the best contract with the most money and the best opportunity.

Sports Illustrated recently ranked the Top 50 free agents and Garver made their list. To many, he’s the best catcher on the free-agent market.

Given the fact that he can hit for average and power when healthy, there could be a bidding war for him. That, in part, is why SI predicted he’ll end up with the Tampa Bay Rays. SI says Garver’s hitting ability could allow him to do something few catchers have been able to do recently in free agency:

Free agency has not been kind to catchers in recent years. Since 2020, only 14 free-agent backstops have signed multiyear contracts, and just nine secured deals totaling more than $10 million. Garver’s bat (career 123 OPS+) gives him a chance to join that list, though his durability is an issue: He’s never reached 360 plate appearances in a season and hasn’t made 55 or more starts at catcher since ’19.

The Rangers know all too well the durability issues with Garver, who came to the Rangers before the 2022 season in a trade for Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

In April 2022, he suffered a right forearm flexor muscle strain and was limited to DH duties and ultimately had surgery in July that ended his season.

He batted just .207 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI. By the end of the season, Jonah Heim had established himself as the team’s starting catcher.

He battled a knee injury for a significant portion of 2023. But, once he got healthy he gave the Rangers some significant offense in the second half, as he finished the season batting .270 with 19 home runs and 50 RBI in the 2023 regular season.

That was his best season since his breakout 2019 campaign with Minnesota, where he hit .273 with 31 home runs and 67 RBI.

The Rays would present an opportunity for Garver. They only have one catcher on their depth chart in René Pinto, who batted .252 in 2023 but has only played 64 career MLB games. The Rays only have one catcher because they just waived veteran catcher Christian Bethancourt, who was picked up by the Cleveland Guardians.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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