MLB Roundup 12/12: David Dahl signs with the Rangers

Rangers sign David Dahl

The Rangers have been a bit busy over the last week. First they traded Lance Lynn to the White Sox. Then they acquired Nate Lowe in a trade from the Rays. And now, they have added one of the more intriguing outfielders on the market by signing David Dahl to a one-year deal worth $3 million.

Dahl was one of the most surprising non-tenders from last week’s deadline, and there are some who see him as the most talented overall. It’s a bit surprising to see him sign this early, going against the grain a bit this offseason. The money is small, but keep in mind it is more than the $2.8 million he was projected to make in arbitration, so being non-tendered may have actually made him a couple extra thousand dollars.

The Rangers are meanwhile starting to put together a pretty interesting roster. Granted, their starting pitching is a mess (I know, I know. Glass house) but in the lineup they have added a pair of upside hitters who are under 27 over the last couple of days. In Dahl, all the talent in the world is there. He has an All-Star bid under his belt and had been better-than-average at the plate in his first three years before his disastrous 2020. The issue has been health. The outfielder had just 99 plate appearances last summer and prior to that had only topped 250 once in his career. So this isn’t a move without risk, but the upside is potentially huge and for a team like the Rangers that’s a perfect target.

Theoretically, that could be a perfect fit with Boston as well. For that price, it certainly would have been hard to argue with that signing, particularly as it leaves money to add more insurance in case of injury. That said, the fit here just didn’t make sense unless you think he can play center field. If not, you’re likely left moving Andrew Benintendi to center, not to mention putting three lefties in the outfield. I don’t think that latter part is a nonstarter (Benintendi in center should be) but it’s also not something they’ll be in a rush to do. So while Dahl was intriguing, I’m not sure the Red Sox were ever serious about the possibility. If anything, maybe this will get the outfield market moving a bit more quickly.