Texas Rangers Have Demoted Their Big Offseason Acquisition to the Minor Leagues

The Texas Rangers are now roughly 20% of the way through the MLB season, and they find themselves in third place in the AL West. The team is just over .500, and by many accounts, seriously underperforming expectations.

Part of the reason the expectations were high for the Rangers had a lot to do with their offseason acquisitions. But one of those additions is running into a rough patch over the first chunk of the season. A rough patch so bad, he finds himself heading to the minor leagues.

The Texas Rangers Have Sent Jake Burger to the Minors

First baseman Jake Burger is being optioned to AAA by the Texas Rangers. Burger is heading to Round Rock after starting the season hitting .186 with 3 home runs.

Burger is coming off a 2024 where he bashed 29 home runs and hit for a .250 average. Over the first 5 years of his career, Burger's 162-game-average is 33 home runs with a .246 batting average. In order for Burger to get back to his career averages, he would need to have a major turnaround, which is what the Rangers are hoping this move leads to.

According to reporter Ken Rosenthal, the team is hoping that Burger can "reset" in the minors, and return to the big league club.

Jake Burger Was Added in the Offseason For His Bat

In December of 2024, the Rangers swung hard to boost their offense by trading for Burger. He was a member of the Miami Marlins, and the Rangers had to send three prospects to the Marlins to pry Burger away.

All three of the prospects Texas sent to Miami, Echedry Vargas, Max Acosta, and Brayan Mendoza, are instantly top prospects in Miami's system. All three are currently ranked in the Marlins' top 30 prospect rankings.

What's Next for the Texas Rangers?

In a matching move, as the Rangers demote Burger they are promoting Blaine Crim to the big leagues.

Crim isn't a young prospect the Rangers are hoping to get a look at. He's a 27-year-old (almost 28) who will be getting his first shot at the big league club. Crim has played 6 years of minor league baseball, after 4 years of college baseball. He has over 1,000 at bats at the AAA level, where he's hit .286 with 49 home runs.

But his 2025 season has started hot, which the Rangers hope translates to the bigs. Crim his hitting .318 with 6 home runs, and 21 RBIs this season at Round Rock.

So while the Rangers obviously hope Burger turns it around, there's also hope that Crim just keeps swinging a hot bat for the Rangers.