Late Tuesday evening, the Texas Rangers acquired infielder Jake Burger in a trade with the Miami Marlins, according to reports. The Rangers gave up three prospects, infielders Echerdy Vargas and Max Acosta and pitcher Brayan Mendoza, to acquire Burger. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was first on the news.
The Rangers are acquiring Jake Burger without giving up a top 15 prospect
Marlins receive Echedry Vargas (#17), Max Acosta (N/R), & Brayan Mendoza (N/R) pic.twitter.com/0iUVBzvmRu
— Rangers Nation
(@rangers__nation) December 11, 2024
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Burger was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2017 and began his career with them in 2021. He quickly established himself as one of the most consistent power hitters in the league, currently carrying a .483 slugging percentage, and has smashed 25 or more homers in three of his past five seasons.
Rangers Acquire Jake Burger in Trade with Marlins
While Burger has proven himself to be one of the most dangerous power hitters in MLB, he has had trouble remaining healthy throughout his career. Through five seasons, he has only been able to play in over 100 games twice, which does raise concerns over how consistently Burger will be able to appear in the Rangers lineup.
Burger was able to remain healthy throughout the majority of last season, appearing in 137 games and putting up solid numbers with the Marlins, where he finished with an impressive .250/.301/.460 slash line, along with smashing 29 homers.
Burger’s bat will be a welcome addition to the Rangers, as the lineup struggled as a team to hit for power. They had an unbelievably low slugging percentage at .380, which put them near the bottom of the American League.
The addition of Burger also raises the question of whether or not first baseman Nathaniel Lowe will be with the Rangers going forward. There have been several rumors regarding Lowe possibly being part of a trade package this offseason. This now seems more likely with the Rangers acquiring Burger, who has primarily played first base throughout his career. However, Burger’s inability to play a full season will likely make the Rangers front office think twice about whether or not they want to put Lowe on the trading block.
The acquisition of Burger does bring a much-needed power hitter to the Rangers’ lineup. It will hopefully help rejuvenate the lineup and make it as lethal as it was during Texas’s World Series-winning season in 2023.
Photo Credit: © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
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