ARLINGTON -- Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos is making a case for more playing time after he homered twice and went 2-for-3 with a walk Friday in a 6-2 win over the Kansas City Royals.
He's now 6-for-16 (.375) with three home runs, and the two blasts Friday night were no-doubters. It was his fourth career multi-home-run game.
"It's great. He's one of the great guys in our clubhouse. A leader in our clubhouse," manager Jeff Banister said. "It's tremendous we have two catchers of the quality of [Jonathan] Lucroy and Chirinos.
"For Robbie to sit over there, wait his time and know he's in a pseudo-backup role, he stays prepared, does his work as though he's a starting catcher every day. Guys get rewarded for that. All 24 of those players really pull for Robbie. It was great to see."
Chirinos missed a lot of time last year with a forearm injury, and he played in only 57 games. That affected his mindset for 2017, to always be ready.
"I learned from personal experience the last two years. You're a foul tip away from catching every day," Chirinos said. "You have to be ready when the opportunity comes. I don't expect Lucroy to get injured, but it happened to myself last year when I got hit and broke my forearm. The next guy was playing every day.
"For me, it's coming to the field like I'm playing every day. Go through my routine in the gym, watch video, go in the cage and do everything. I know, if I have the opportunity to play, I'm going to be ready."
Given Lucroy's slow start to the year, hitting .191, does Chirinos think he could see some more playing time?
"That's something I don't control," he said. "When I see my name in my lineup, I just go out and do my best, try to help the team win."