When the Seattle Mariners begin their weekend road series in Texas, the rival Rangers will be without one of their key offseason additions.
And it’s not because of an injury.
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The Rangers have demoted first baseman Jake Burger to Triple-A Round Rock, they announced Friday. The news was first reported Thursday by MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
The 29-year-old Burger was acquired by the Rangers in a December trade with the Miami Marlins after hitting .250 with 29 home runs, 79 RBIs and a .760 OPS in 137 games in 2024. He also hit 34 home runs between Miami and the Chicago White Sox in 2023.
Burger’s introduction with the Rangers has not gone smoothly thus far, however.
In 30 games for Texas this season, Burge is hitting just .190 with three homers, 12 RBIs and a .561 OPS, with 32 strikeouts to only three walks.
Rosenthal said the Rangers’ plan is for Burger to “reset” in the minors and return to Texas’ roster soon. But it still means the AL West-leading Mariners won’t have to worry about him during their three-game series at Globe Life Field this weekend.
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Taking Burger’s place on the Rangers’ roster will be prospect Blaine Crim, a first baseman who Texas picked in the 19th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Mississippi College. Crim has been in Triple-A since late in the 2022 season.
Texas is also without catcher Kyle Higashioka, another offseason addition who landed on the injured list Thursday with a mild left intercostal strain.
The Rangers, who won the 2023 World Series, are 16-16 to open the 2025 season and sit three games back of the Mariners for first place in the AL West. Last year, Texas missed the playoffs and finished third in the division with a 78-84 record, seven games behind second-place Seattle.
The Mariners enter Friday with a two-game lead over both the Houston Astros (16-14) and Athletics (17-15) in the AL West.
Friday’s series opener between the Mariners and Rangers is set for 5:05 p.m., with radio coverage on Seattle Sports beginning at 4 p.m. with the pregame show.
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