Rangers Shake Up Lineup, Call Up Blaine Crim for MLB Debut
Blaine Crim, will make his next plate appearance in Arlington against the Mariners for his MLB debut. The Texas Rangers are calling up Crim and optioning Jake Burger to Triple-A Round Rock, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
These are moves to ignite their struggling offense, and fans—myself included—have wanted to see Crim’s debut for a while. That wait is soon over.
Rangers’ Offense in Need of a Spark
The Rangers’ lineup has been ice-cold to start the season, averaging just 3.21 runs per game (28th in MLB). Despite a pitching staff firing on all cylinders, the bats have let them down, squandering one gem after another. Today’s 3-0 loss to the Athletics, pushed manager Chris Young to make a change. Crim’s power and consistency could be the jolt this lineup needs to start scoring.
Roster Moves to Make It Happen
Crim’s call-up requires a 40-man roster spot, as he’s not currently on it. Per Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, the Rangers will designate infielder Nick Ahmed for assignment to create room.
They may also recall infielder Jonathan Ornelas to shore up the infield until Corey Seager, who could return as early as Saturday, is activated.
Burger, 28, acquired from Miami for three prospects (Echedry Vargas, Max Acosta and Brayan Mendoza) to be a right-handed, fastball-mashing threat, has struggled at the plate in 2025 to a tune of a .190 batting average and a .561 OPS. His trip to Round Rock is billed as a short-term “reset,” not a permanent demotion.
Chris Young built this 2025 roster to have power, but the offense has been painfully quiet. Recent moves reflect growing urgency: Marcus Semien and Adolis García were dropped from their usual spots in the batting order. Then Leody Taveras was benched as the primary center fielder. Now, Burger’s optioned, Crim is called up. These tweaks show a team scrambling to find its rhythm.
Blaine Crim’s Time to Shine
Blaine Crim’s story is one of perseverance. Drafted in the 19th round in 2019, he’s torched pitching at every minor league level. With Triple-A Round Rock this season, he’s hitting .313/.365/.565/.930 with 7 home runs and 25 RBI—those 7 homers lead the entire Rangers organization.
His minor league career is a masterclass in production: .296/.372/.507/.879 with 110 home runs and 420 RBI.
Crim, also known as “The Independent” or “Crim Reaper” earned this shot. His bat may not solve every offensive woe, but there’s hope he’ll ignite the lineup.
Congratulations to Crim from The Prospect Times—your debut’s been a long time coming, and we’re ready to see you rip one in Arlington.