:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44252840/455996992.0.jpg)
Texas Rangers rumors: Kendrys Morales is apparently on the Rangers' radar, with Jon Heyman tweeting that the Rangers are among the teams "taking a look" at the veteran DH.
Morales, 31, split the 2014 season between the Minnesota Twins -- where he signed in June, once he no longer cost a draft pick -- and the Seattle Mariners, who acquired Morales from Minnesota in July in exchange for Stephen Pryor.
Morales is a Cuban defector who signed with the Angels in April, 2005. He spent parts of the 2006, 2007 and 2008 seasons in the majors, without much success, before having a breakout year in 2009, logging a 924 OPS as the team's regular first baseman and finishing 5th in the A.L. MVP balloting.
Morales had his 2010 season cut short when he broke his leg while celebrating a game winning homer at home plate, and missed all of the 2011 season because of that injury, as well. Morales has been primarily a DH since then. He had a very disappointing 2014 season, putting up a combined .218/.274/.338 slash line between Minnesota and Seattle.
Morales is a switch-hitter who, over the course of his career, has hit righthanders better than lefthanders. The Rangers have been looking for a veteran bat to add to the lineup, but Morales wouldn't seem to be a great fit for them, given that he's pretty much limited to DH duties. In addition, adding Morales would presumably mean that Mitch Moreland would get non-tendered or traded, since Moreland and Morales fill the same roles (although Moreland could also play some COF, and is a better defensive 1B).
