ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) 鈥� Ezequiel Dur谩n has been 鈥淭he Solution” in so many ways for the playoff-chasing Texas Rangers this season.
That has proved to be more than just a slick nickname, one first given to him in jest while playing at home in the Dominican Republic last winter. There is even a T-shirt worn by with that moniker boldly emblazoned above three different photos of the super-utility player who is now in their lineup pretty much every day.
鈥淚t would be a very different season without him being able to pick up and help out the team the way he has,鈥� Texas starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said.
Dur谩n has started games at six different defensive positions while hitting .276 with 13 homers and a career-high 63 RBIs, after not going deep in his 90 games last season. He most recently has been the regular third baseman with Josh Jung on the 10-day injured list because of a left calf strain.
The Rangers (57-58) had an off day Thursday trailing AL West-leading Houston by 1 1/2 games. before getting swept by the Astros last weekend, part of a season-worst six-game losing streak that finally ended when included the game-ending hit in a 5-4 win over San Francisco on Tuesday night.
Dur谩n has been all over the field for Texas
The most starts for Dur谩n are his 44 at shortstop since two-time World Series MVP . Dur谩n has 20 starts at both third and second base, one at first, and seven each in left and right field. He has played multiple positions in 23 games, including both infield and outfield in 13 of those.
鈥淗e nicknamed himself 鈥楾he Solution鈥� for a reason, and it鈥檚 no joke,鈥� manager Skip Schumaker said. 鈥淗e has been that the whole year.鈥�
When the T-shirts first appeared in the Rangers clubhouse in early June, Dur谩n explained that a teammate in the Dominican Winter League told him he was the solution after playing three positions in as many innings in a game. Dur谩n said he initially forgot about it, but embraced the nickname after getting to spring training with Texas and being put through some drills at catcher. He has not been in a game behind the plate, but retired 10 of 11 batters when pitching in relief four times last season.
Texas acquired Dur谩n from the Yankees in a multiplayer that sent Joey Gallo to New York. Dur谩n, who initially signed with the Yankees organization just a few weeks after his 18th birthday in 2017, made his big league debut with the Rangers in 2022 and played a key utility role in their only World Series championship in 2023.
Dur谩n has also had a lot of clutch hits
His two-run double in the eighth inning Tuesday put Texas up 4-2. Then after the Giants tied it in the ninth, in the bottom of the inning ended the game. That came a night after he went 4 for 4 in the series opener, with his homer in the ninth for the only Texas run.
鈥淲e would not even be where we’re at in the playoff hunt without him. … He’s been integral to any success that we’ve had,鈥� right fielder Brandon Nimmo said.
Schumaker can’t argue with that.
鈥淭he energy he brings daily, it鈥檚 real. It鈥檚 not fake, it not fluff,” Schumaker said. 鈥淲ith all these injuries that we鈥檝e had, to have him do what he鈥檚 done has really kept us afloat where we鈥檙e at right now.鈥�
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