Cameron

Cauley

Seager was lifted for rookie Cameron Cauley prior to his first at-bat of the contest. The 32-year-old fantasy stalwart has been snake-bitten by injuries this season, as he’s battled back issues in addition to missing time with a concussion earlier this month. There should be an update on his status following the contest.

Nicky Lopez is at second base to face Guardians righty Tanner Bibee. Cauley went 1-for-3 with a triple and a pair of runs scored in his major-league debut on Monday night in Cleveland. The versatile 23-year-old figures to play regularly against left-handed starters and possesses an interesting mix of fantasy-relevant tools, most notably elite speed on the bases. He’s a name to watch in deeper mixed leagues in case he’s able to carve out a semi-regular role with the Rangers in the coming weeks.

Cauley is an interesting prospect for fantasy managers in deeper mixed leagues since he offers a ton of defensive versatility and a little bit of power/speed combo upside to dream on. The 23-year-old has put together an impressive season on the doorstep of the big leagues, slashing .262/.363/.407 with eight homers and 29 steals in 343 plate appearances over 74 games at the Triple-A level. He’s a name to watch closely, especially if he’s able to carve out a semi-regular role with the Rangers. He figures to receive most of his opportunities against left-handed pitching for now.

It’s getting to that point in the spring where teams are trying to get their rosters ready for Opening Day, so large batches of cuts are the norm. There are no major surprises in this group. Bride could’ve possibly won a bench spot with a strong performance in the spring. Díaz will stay with the Rangers and try to work through his issues at the Triple-A level.

The 23-year-old shortstop got the Rangers on the board with a run-scoring double off of Mike Vasil in the fourth inning. He then deftly swiped third base before being stranded there. Cauley also doubled in the sixth inning but the Rangers couldn’t cash him in. He’s not going to crack the Opening Day roster, but Cauley has a chance to open some eyes with a strong showing in Cactus League play and Friday’s game was a nice step in that direction.