Rangers' Evan Carter: Faces possible platoon in center
Rotowire
Carter and Leody Taveras could operate as a platoon in center field to start the regular season, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Carter's struggles against left-handed pitching mean he could face righties only, although Taveras isn't much better against southpaws. This spring, Carter has five strikeouts in seven at-bats against left-handers, while Taveras is slashing .154/.214/.154 in 13 at-bats against them. Texas manager Bruce Bochy was bullish about both, noting each have been squaring up the ball better over the last few weeks. Carter was passable against lefties in the minors, but he hasn't had the opportunity to consistently face the high-caliber left-handers that pitch in the majors.
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Rangers' Evan Carter: Trending toward making roster
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Carter has "eased concerns about tentativeness in his swing" following a good showing in a recent minor-league game and several hard-hit balls during Cactus League play, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Grant writes in his latest Opening Day roster projection that the idea of Carter not making the team "seemed to be gaining momentum," but it appears the young outfielder's stock is trending back up. Carter is slashing only .222/.300/.296 with no home runs in 11 Cactus League games this spring, while his competition for the center-field job, Leody Taveras, is batting .237/.310/.500 with three long balls. Both players appear likely to crack the Opening Day roster, but it's not clear what the playing time split in center field between the two will look like.
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Rangers' Evan Carter: Back in lineup
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Carter (illness) will start in center field and bat third in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Brewers.
Carter was scratched from Friday's lineup due to an illness, but his health seems to have improved ahead of Saturday's game. The 22-year-old is 1-for-7 with a double and two strikeouts across three games so far this spring.
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Rangers' Evan Carter: Scratched from lineup with illness
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Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said that Carter was scratched from Friday's lineup against the Cubs due to illness, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Carter has "got some crud," per Bochy, but is expected to be back in the lineup Saturday. Kevin Pillar will take his spot in the lineup Friday.
Carter batted leadoff and went 0-for-3 in Saturday's spring game against San Francisco.
Carter is a spring project, not just because of the back injury that limited him to 162 plate appearances in 2024, but also due to struggles against lefties. His one opportunity Saturday ended with a strikeout; it was a three-pitch at-bat during which the hitter with a reputation for discipline swung at pitches off the plate. Carter is 3-for-37 against MLB southpaws the last two seasons. If he does manage to be a competent hitter, Carter could see time as a leadoff hitter. Texas manager Bruce Bochy has offered conflicting statements about Marcus Semien being the default leadoff batter in 2025, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
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Rangers' Evan Carter: Starting Saturday
Rotowire
Carter (back) will start in center field and bat leadoff in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Giants.
Carter has been private about the nature and severity of his back injury, and it's expected to be something the Rangers keep a close eye on throughout spring training and the regular season. He is apparently in good enough condition to take the field Saturday after sitting out Friday's contest, but regular rest days may be necessary, at least for the time being.
Rangers' Evan Carter: Health to be monitored closely
Rotowire
The Rangers are expected to monitor Carter's back closely throughout the 2025 season, though he's been reluctant to reveal his exact diagnosis, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Carter made it clear that discussing the back injury isn't exactly his favorite topic. However, he noted that the issue could be considered chronic inflammation since it's flared up in two of his last three seasons. "I kind of want to keep it personal," said Carter when asked about his diagnosis. "It's personal to me and we're going to keep it that way. I can't change it. It's a part of me now, but we've got a plan." This update feels a bit ominous after it was previously reported that he'd enter spring training without any restrictions, as it sounds as though the back injury could flare up at various points during the year. Manager Bruce Bochy noted that the level of concern is low entering camp, but the team plans to monitor the 22-year-old closely, which could mean regular rest days.
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Rangers' Evan Carter: Candidate to bat leadoff
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Carter (back) could be considered for the leadoff spot in the Rangers' lineup, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Marcus Semien has started 309 of the Rangers' 324 regular-season games over the last two seasons in the leadoff spot and is the favorite to be at the top of the batting order again. However, he had just a .308 on-base percentage in 2024 and the Rangers are leaving open the possibility of using him in a different spot. Carter has the skill set for a leadoff hitter with his terrific batting eye, but he's not even a given to be a starter right now and needs to show last season's back issues are behind him. The left-handed hitting Carter has struggled mightily versus southpaws, so if he does bat leadoff it would surely only be against right-handers. Carter had an ablation procedure on his back in October but is expected to enter spring training without restrictions.
Carter (back) no longer has any restrictions on what he can do in the field or weight room, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
The promise Carter showed in 2023, when he batted .306 (1.058 OPS) in 23 regular-season games and appeared in 17 postseason games for the eventual World Series champs, never materialized in 2024. The outfielder endured a slow start and then a stress reaction in his back in May. He was eventually shut down after multiple attempts to ramp up. The 22-year-old added strength and bulked up during the offseason in preparation for what is expected to be a normal spring. A healthy Carter should be a regular in the Rangers' outfield, most likely center field.
