Fansided

Elvis Andrus gets his first off day for Rangers

By Matt Fisher

May 26, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) jesters with his bench after the inning in which he hit a 2 run double against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Rangers win 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
May 26, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) jesters with his bench after the inning in which he hit a 2 run double against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Rangers win 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

On a team that has been ravaged by injury and put together using duct tape, rookies, and journeymen, it can be easy to overlook the importance of the condition of core players. For Ron Washington and the Texas Rangers, that means getting your young, sparkplug shortstop his first day off of the season.

More from MLB

When the Rangers lineup was released on Thursday morning, Elvis Andrus did not find his name on the paper. Maybe that doesn’t sit well with the 25-year old, but with a day game following a night game and rookies Luis Sardinas and Rougned Odor playing well, Washington would rather play for the long haul than the immediacy of Thursday’s potentially series-winning game.

Andrus, along with right fielder Alex Rios, have been the only Rangers to play in every single game this year. Rios’ off day may be coming up soon, although he has been the Rangers’ most consistent hitter and most productive player, despite being the league leader in double play grounders. Andrus started out very slowly, but has since been swinging a hot bat. He has increased his batting line to a .256/.313/.348 mark, working his way back up to his career average of .271.

May 27, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) hits a single in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
May 27, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) hits a single in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

Thursday’s game in the Twin Cities will mark the first time that rookies Luis Sardinas and Rougned Odor will be starting in the field together, with Sardinas taking over at shortstop. Odor has made himself the everyday second baseman, not only out of necessity, but also with his scrappy, hard-nosed play.

Andrus, who, again with Rios, has been one of the only regular Rangers not to be placed on the disabled list with an injury currently sits in fourth place in the American League All-Star voting standings behind Baltimore’s J.J. Hardy, Chicago’s Alexei Ramirez, and New York’s Derek Jeter.

Home/MLB