Choo activated, Apostel to i.l.

Texas Rangers transactions: Shin-Soo Choo has been activated from the injured list, the team announced today, and is hitting leadoff and DHing in the final game of the season. To clear room for him on the active roster, the Rangers have placed Sherten Apostel on the injured list. Apostel is sidelined with back spasms, and wasn’t going to play today regardless.

Choo is being given the opportunity to end his time with the Rangers on the field. The 38 year old has not played since September 7, when he left the game against the Seattle Mariners due to a right hand sprain suffered when sliding into home plate. Choo has a .229/.317/.394 slash line on the year.

Choo is in the final year of the 7 year, $130 million deal that he signed with the Rangers after the 2013 season. While he has indicated a potential desire to continue playing after 2020, it is unlikely that the Rangers would bring him back for 2021, and it is uncertain what sort of market there would be for him.

During his time with the Rangers, Choo has slashed .260/.363/.428 in 3479 plate appearances over 798 games. Injuries have limited him during much of his time with the Rangers, and while he was pretty good in 2015, 2018 and 2019, he has accumulated just 8.4 bWAR during his time with Texas.

He has a career bWAR of 34.4, most of it accumulated during his time with the Cleveland Indians. He is 70th all time in bWAR among rightfielders — he is right behind Shawn Green, Carl Furillo and Ken Griffey, Sr., and ahead of Bob Allison, Nick Markakis and (until sometime in early 2021) Bryce Harper.