Delino DeShields Jr. is back with the Rangers. Texas announced Monday that they’ve signed DeShields to a minor league contract and invited him to Major League Spring Training. The Rangers also confirmed their signing of righty Sam Gaviglio to a minor league deal, which we reported over the weekend.
Still just 28 years old, DeShields was with the Rangers from 2015-19 before being flipped to Cleveland as part of the Corey Kluber trade last winter. He spent just one year there and posted a tepid .252/.310/.318 batting line in 120 homerless plate appearances. Normally a nuisance on the basepaths, DeShields went just 3-for-5 in stolen base attempts through 37 games with Cleveland, who non-tendered him this winter rather than pay him a raise on last year’s $1.875MM salary (prior to prorating). DeShields missed time early in the season after being diagnosed with Covid-19 and didn’t make his 2020 debut until Aug. 6.
Now back with the Rangers, DeShields will vie for playing time in an outfield mix that is tentatively set to feature David Dahl in left field, Leody Taveras in center and slugger Joey Gallo in right. Both Dahl and Gallo are left-handed hitters, while Taveras is a switch-hitter who has typically fared better from the left side of the plate than from the right. As such, the righty-swinging DeShields could well factor in as a complementary right-handed bat who could see action as a pinch-runner or defensive upgrade late in games.
nice pickup on a Minors deal
Depth, depth is good.
Still got my Delino SR rated rookie
Maybe they plan on trading him for Kluber again.
This comment deserves many, many upvotes
Hey! Ole’ buddy ole’ pal. Nice to have him back!
Rangers won’t be good for a long time.
Nonsense Deshields is going to hit .290/460/660 with 58 bombs. That’s right 1120 ops. Also going to steal 35 bases.
you forgot to put the 1 infront of that 35 SB
Keep dreamin bud
Nice
Good luck to the Rangers. Hopefully he doesn’t make your team because he’s awful defensively. He had a good reputation for D when he came to the tribe but it seemed like he never played CF before. This guy turned so many outs into extra bases.
You do realize he played for the Rangers for 5 seasons before Cleveland. In fact in 2019, he was the 12th ranked defensive player in defensive outs above average where he played every game in CF, with the exception of one at DH. Ranger fans know exactly what we are getting defensively with DeShields.
Of, course I know that and I was shocked to see how terrible he was defensively. Maybe it was just a blip on the radar but I’m sure looking forward to the tribe playing the rangers this year if he’s patrolling center. Where did he rank last year in defense metrics? I feel bad that your organization watched this stiff play for five years and wanted him back.
He was well into the negatives in UZR, range runs above average and only had 0 DRS and +1 outs above average. Though keep in mind this is in less than 300 innings played in the field.
Yeah it was definitely a small sample size and I know I’m being unfair but he was a player that just made Indians fans cringe. Nothing worse than seeing easy outs misplayed into doubles especially in the playoffs.
The Cleveland outfield is bad? Color me surprised
Reaallllyyy hope this dude breaks camp and starts getting some offensive numbers up. He’s a very likable player
Best news of the day. We love Delino!!!
Good depth, especially with Dahl’s injury history. Would really like to see Dahl or Puig signed as a depth piece as well to bring some RH power to the team. We also still need a 1B and 3B back-up so probably need to check on Shaw, Nunez(preferred) or Lamb.M. Gonzales would not be a bad choice either. Also still need to check the price for Archer or Folty to allow young arms additional development time.
Good point regarding Dahl’s injury history. The Rangers have two first basemen. Agree on picking up additional pitchers. The Rangers payroll is a joke (in the $70M range). They can afford signing a couple more players.
I know this is a minor league deal but how’s Delinos defense? I was just curious to how he’s managed to stay in the big leagues so long with his weak offensive numbers? Other than him being cheap that is.
For Texas, his defense was really good and he is good on the basepaths.
Metrics say he was good defensively in Texas but he was horrendous with Cleveland. He loves to break in on balls that end up sailing just over his glove. He was hard to watch and even found a way to cost them a playoff game.
Thanks for the insight guys, maybe they plan to use him as a defensive replacement if he makes the club.
They can put DeShields up if the Klingons attack.
Unless they want to fire photon torpedoes. Then they’ll have to take DeShields down.
I would have scored higher if you went with DeKlingons
Note to the people: This move will push Leody into AAA to start 2020. That’s the whole reason they did this. Delino is familiar with the club, and will fit in perfectly as a stopgap for half of 21′.
Possibly, but Woody has been preaching competition all offseason, so it may be a simple matter of trying to extract the best that Taveras can give offensively as he is already a superior defensive player to Deshields. If Desheild’s does supplant Taveras until Midsummer, Rangers will have to check on Duvall, Puig, or Goodwin as a 4th OF as White and Garcia further away from being viable than Taveras.
29,
Taking a break from sh!tposting the competition by turd polishing for your Rangers. At least your medium is consistent…
I kinda love this troll. Keep it up.
You flatter me, sh!tposter extraordinaire! I’m on the case!
Leody doesn’t need to be in AAA. He needs to make the team and start playing
Ya I was thinking that too, which is just silly. Extend his clock a bit? Also, the writer states Taveras hits better on the left side of the plate. Unless he’s talking about in the minor leagues, he got it backwards.
Rangers know what they are getting with DeShields. He more than likely breaks camp as either the starting CF or 4th Outfielder
Good. Just so he’s not on my team again.
Ditto! Man was he hard to watch with the Tribe.
There’s no place like home.
He’s always had great wheels and I’ve enjoyed watching him in the field. Hard to put much stock into his 2020. Covid, no minor league games to use as rehab, just a few practices and right back out there.
Love this dude in Texas!
This guy was a preseason fantasy baseball darling for years, Never made the impact we’d hoped for in Tay-has Rd 1 .
That’s where he belongs. Some guys just do better for certain teams and I think being back in Texas will be good for him
I loved him in Texas. When I met him he was the nicest young man. Took pics with me and my kids. Plus he was a good player. It’s a no risk signing.
As man with a young son I can say I definitely have respect for the players who take that extra time for the kids, it really makes their day! I’m glad to hear Deshields is a nice guy.
With all the teams still needing CF help, I’m surprised he couldn’t find a guaranteed, major league deal from one of them. Nice deal for Texas to get him on a minor league contract. One would expect he’d make the team out of spring training.
I don’t know if players read these, but welcome back Delino!! We are lucky to have you. You are my son’s fave and I can’t wait to tell him you are back…Go Rangers!!
Could Mazara be next to return?