Rangers keep tabs on free agent Morales

ANAHEIM -- The Rangers are among many teams who are keeping an eye on free-agent hitter Kendry Morales, who is represented by agent Scott Boras and working out in the Miami area. The Rangers have attended his public workouts but are not in active negotiations with Boras.

"When we went to see his workouts, there might have been 20 teams there," assistant general manager Thad Levine said. "Scott has informed each team when he is having public workouts. We, like many, have attended. That's not always directly correlated to an immediate need. We always like to keep our options open in case something that is not a need today becomes a need down the road."

The Rangers entered Sunday's game ranked 10th in the American League with 122 runs scored and 11th with a .372 slugging percentage. Morales is a switch-hitter who could be used at designated hitter or first base. He played in 156 games for the Mariners last year and hit .277 with 23 home runs and 80 RBI.

Morales is believed to be looking for a multi-year contract but the bigger issue is he turned down a qualifying offer from the Mariners. That means the Rangers would forfeit their first-round pick in next month's First-Year Player Draft if they signed him. The Rangers don't appear willing to do that.