After joining the Rangers in a blockbuster trade 10 days ago, outfielder Brandon Nimmo was officially introduced to the media at Globe Life Field on Thursday just ahead of the Winter Meetings that begin on Monday in Orlando.
Nimmo, who was acquired in a one-for-one trade with the Mets for veteran second baseman Marcus Semien on Nov. 24, said he wanted to bring his family to the area this week to look at where he’d live in his first season with his new club. Nimmo and his wife, Chelsea, have a 1-year-old daughter and will be in Texas for the long haul, as he's under contract through 2030 as part of his eight-year, $162 million deal signed before the '23 season.
“I want to be spending as much time as I can with my daughter, but I need to be devoting as much time as I as I possibly can to my job and being very best that I can be at that,” Nimmo said. “And so we're gonna be balancing a lot of things as to what's best for the family and what's best for me, getting to the field and everything. And so we're out here to start that process and make those decisions.”
Nimmo, 32, is a Cheyenne, Wyoming, native and was the No. 11 overall pick by the Mets in 2011. So after 15 years in the Mets’ organization and 10 in the big leagues in New York, this is a big change for him and his family, but he’s excited about the opportunity. He also noted Globe Life Field holds a special place in his heart because it was the last place his grandmother, Claudine, saw him play in person in June 2024 before she died that October.
“I'm excited to get to know everybody as a player, but I'm more excited to get to know everybody as a person,” Nimmo said. “People don't realize we're around teammates more than we are our family during the during the season. So that bond needs to be of the utmost importance, and I'm really looking forward to starting those relationships with guys.”
Nimmo also said he will wear No. 24 because he grew up idolizing Ken Griffey Jr. and his older brother, Bryce, wore that number in high school in Cheyenne. He has a reliable bat and is as durable as they come, playing in 151 games in '22, 152 in '23, 151 in '24 and 155 last year. He's a solid addition to the lineup, as he hit .262/.324/.436 with 25 homers and 92 RBIs last year.
But the Rangers aren’t done adding to their roster this offseason, as president of baseball operations Chris Young said their main targets are at catcher and relief pitching with the possibility of adding a starting pitcher. Their catching depth is thin after non-tendering Jonah Heim.
“You can never have enough pitching so we'll always look to try to improve and deepen our options there,” Young said. “But catching we have to address and same with our relief pitching.”
Young also said they haven’t decided whether they will sign a catcher or make a trade like they did for Nimmo. J.T. Realmuto is the best free-agent catcher available by a large margin but is expected to command a hefty contract. Otherwise the top free-agent catchers include Victor Caratini, Danny Jansen and Christian Vázquez.
“We’re on parallel tracks, exploring both,” Young said. “It's hard to say right now. That could change in a day's or a moment's notice, too. With a club that calls or an agent that calls, and their price point is different.”
The Rangers also might take a look at second base after trading Semien, but general manager Ross Fenstermaker said they like their internal options so it’s not as big of a priority. Josh Smith can handle second base, while Ezequiel Duran and Sam Haggerty also have experience at the position.
“We'll be open on everything,” Fenstermaker said. “We’ve got more options at second base than at the catching position currently, so it hasn't been a primary focus for us. But like anything, when opportunities present themselves, we'll flush them out. But given the current status of our roster and the areas that we need to address, I don't think that is a position that we're looking to address externally.”