With Josh Hamilton starting the season on the disabled list, the Rangers made a move Sunday, signing free-agent shortstop Ian Desmond to a one-year deal, according to multiple reports.
The team is expected to convert Desmond, 30, into a left fielder, with Elvis Andrus remaining at shortstop.
Source: Desmond deal with #Rangers is one year, $8M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 28, 2016
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The Rangers will lose their 19th overall draft pick this year because Desmond turned down a qualifying offer from the Nationals, for whom he batted .233/.290/.384 with 19 home runs, 62 RBIs, 13 stolen bases and 69 runs scored in 156 games in 2015. Texas can gain a draft pick back next year however, if it extends Desmond a qualifying offer and he rejects it.
Projected to have another monster 20-20 season, Desmond fell flat in 2015. He saw his batting average, on-base-percentage and slugging percentage drop by at least 20 points from his Silver Slugger season in 2014.
He did lead the league in a few categories, however, but not the ones teams want to see. Desmond led all qualified MLB shortstops with 187 strikeouts and led National League shortstops with 27 errors. The Rangers hope the move to left will cut down on the errors.
Coming off a pair of knee surgeries last fall, Hamilton said he still has pain in his left knee now that anti-inflammatory medicine administered in January has worn off. He is without a timetable to return.