The Rangers have agreed to sign free agent infielder Asdrubal Cabrera to a one-year deal, the team announced Thursday. Infielder Jack Reinheimer was designated for assignment to make room on 40-man roster.
OFFICIAL: We have signed INF Asdrúbal Cabrera to a one-year contract. pic.twitter.com/C2ugZcLGah
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) January 24, 2019
Cabrera's deal with Texas is worth $3.5 million, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Cabrera, 33, hit .262/.316/.458 (112 OPS+) with 36 doubles, 23 homers and 75 RBI last season between the Mets and Phillies. He was actually sporting a 128 OPS+ before being traded to Philly ahead of the deadline and was pretty bad afterward. He was worth 1.4 WAR before the trade and -0.7 after.
Cabrera will play third for the Rangers, replacing the retiring Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre.
The Rangers' infield now looks something like this:
1B: Patrick Wisdom
2B: Rougned Odor
SS: Elvis Andrus
3B: Cabrera
Ronald Guzman could also take first base. Remember, Jurickson Profar was traded to the A's earlier this offseason, so the depth before this deal was a little thin.
Assuming the Rangers aren't contending come July -- and I think that's a strong assumption -- Cabrera is a candidate to be flipped before the trade deadline again. He can handle second base and could pretend to handle shortstop, though playing him there everyday is ill-advised for any contender.