ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ezequiel Durán has been “The 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 Rangers players with that moniker boldly emblazoned above three different photos of the super-utility player who is now in their lineup pretty much every day.
“It would be a very different season without him being able to pick up and help out the team the way he has,” Texas starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said.
Durán 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. Texas was the division leader before getting swept by the Astros last weekend, part of a season-worst six-game losing streak that finally ended when Durán’s four RBIs included the game-ending hit in a 5-4 win over San Francisco on Tuesday night.
Durán has been all over the field for Texas
The most starts for Durán are his 44 at shortstop since two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager has been on the IL three times. Durán 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.
“He nicknamed himself ‘The Solution’ for a reason, and it’s no joke,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “He has been that the whole year.”
When the T-shirts first appeared in the Rangers clubhouse in early June, Durán 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. Durán 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 Durán from the Yankees in a multiplayer deadline trade in 2021 that sent Joey Gallo to New York. Durán, 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.
Durán 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, his RBI double 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.
“We 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,” right fielder Brandon Nimmo said.
Schumaker can’t argue with that.
“The energy he brings daily, it’s real. It’s not fake, it not fluff,” Schumaker said. “With all these injuries that we’ve had, to have him do what he’s done has really kept us afloat where we’re at right now.”
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Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press
