ARLINGTON -- Looking for a spark on the offensive end, the Rangers selected the contract of outfielder Jarred Kelenic and optioned utilityman Josh Smith to Triple-A Round Rock on Friday.
Smith, who was the Rangers’ Opening Day second baseman, has not been optioned since Aug. 21, 2022, as he’s become a vital part of the roster as a super utility option. But in his first year as a full-time starter at a given position, things haven’t gone so smoothly.
Smith hit .218 across 34 games for the Rangers this season, but he endured a lengthy injured-list stint for a laundry list of ailments, including a right glute strain, left wrist inflammation and viral meningitis. All 28 of his defensive starts have come at second base after winning the job in Spring Training. He’s also appeared at third base (one game) and at designated hitter (two games).
“That's one of the toughest, if not the toughest, send out I've had in my career,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “That was not easy. The message was that we need to get him going because we need him to be successful up here to help us win games. The kid’s had a rough start to the year. He had a slow start, but then the sickness, and [he] got injured. You really feel for him. I'm hoping that everyday playing time will get him going and this will be a short stint.”
Schumaker said he hopes that Kelenic will be a bit of a spark to an offense that could use it. The 26-year-old made his Texas debut in the eighth inning of the club's 9-7 win over the Padres at Globe Life Field, striking out after pinch-hitting for Justin Foscue. In his first start with the Rangers in Saturday's 6-4, 10-inning loss, Kelenic went 1-for-3 with a run scored and made a diving catch for the final out of the sixth inning that took a hit away from Jackson Merrill.
The Rangers signed Kelenic to a Minor League deal on June 2, and he’s hit .340/.431/.620 with three home runs, one triple, three doubles and 11 RBIs in 13 games with Round Rock. He’s reached safely in 11 of his past 13 games and produced an RBI in 10 of 13 while making defensive appearances in center field (10 starts) and left field (one start).
“I think coming to a new organization, you just have to be a sponge and learn from the guys, learn from the organization, and how they teach things, and then figure out where you fit in,” Kelenic said. “That's been my mentality this whole year, starting with the White Sox, and now here. Coming here has been really fun, just because I feel like with how I play the game, the organization does it very similarly. The transition has been very smooth.”
Kelenic was originally selected sixth overall by the Mets in the 2018 MLB Draft, but he debuted with Seattle on May 13, 2021.
He was one of the top prospects in baseball from 2019 up until his debut, though he admittedly didn’t quite live up to those expectations. He sees this as another fresh start to contribute to helping the Rangers win games.
“Those expectations are tough, especially as a young player,” Kelenic recalled of his rookie year. “But I still believe in the talent and the player that I can be each and every day. I haven't lost any faith in that. The biggest thing between now and then is really orchestrating a plan that works for myself, and something that's repeatable, because at the end of the day, teams appreciate consistency. That's what the game's about.”
In six years of big league action, he’s hit .211/.283/.374 with 50 home runs, six triples, 65 doubles, 160 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in a combined 426 games with the Mariners (2021-23), Braves (2024-25) and White Sox (2026).
“Obviously he's been in the big leagues the last couple years and has had some real success down at Round Rock,” Schumaker said. “He’s a left-handed bat that plays really good defense and can run the bases well. We’re looking for a spark on the offensive side. It's kind of an easy decision as far as getting his bat up here. Hopefully we’ll see what it looks like and he continues the hot start that he's had down there.”