Jonah Heim, Kyle Higashioka To See Equal Playing Time
The Texas Rangers are planning to give catchers Jonah Heim and Kyle Higashioka equal playing time in 2025, according to general manager Ross Fenstermaker. The Rangers signed Higashioka to a two-year, $13.5 million deal on Monday night and will plan to give him plenty of playing time behind the plate given Heim's struggles on offense this past season. The 29-year-old Heim was an All-Star in 2023, won a Gold Glove and a World Series ring, but he wasn't as good in 2024, slashing .220/.267/.336 with a weak .602 OPS, 13 home runs, 59 RBI and 45 runs scored in 131 games played in his fourth year in Texas. Meanwhile, Higashioka had a career year in his lone season with the San Diego Padres with 17 home runs and 45 RBI in 84 games played as the team's primary backstop. Texas will be hoping a straight split in playing time will keep them both productive, but it will surely limit their fantasy upside.
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim will retreat to the bench for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Oakland Athletics in the final game at the Oakland Coliseum. Carson Kelly will do the catching for rookie right-hander Kumar Rocker and will bat eighth against A's right-hander J.T. Ginn. The 29-year-old's day off comes after he homered in each of the first two games of the series. Heim made his first All-Star team in 2023 before eventually helping lead the Rangers to their first World Series title. He hasn't been nearly as good in 2024, though, batting .219 (98-for-448) with 13 home runs and 57 RBI in 480 plate appearances. Since joining the Rangers in the middle of the season via trade, Kelly has slashed .233/.296/.311 with a .607 OPS, one homer and seven RBI in 28 games for the Rangers as the No. 2 backstop behind Heim.
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim will retreat to the bench on Monday against the visiting division-rival Houston Astros after starting the two previous games on Saturday and Sunday. In his absence, the Rangers will roll with Carson Kelly behind the plate and in the nine-hole in the batting order versus Astros right-hander Hunter Brown. The switch-hitting Heim has been struggling offensively since the All-Star break, batting just .178 (8-for-45) with two homers, 10 RBI, a walk and six strikeouts in 13 games played. After making his first All-Star team a year ago, he's been a bit of a disappointment for fantasy managers with a .233/.278/.348 slash line, a weak .626 OPS, 10 home runs and 46 RBI in 95 games in his four season in Texas. Kelly has some pop (seven homers) as a backup catcher, but he'll be a low-upside DFS sleeper at the position in the nine-hole on Monday.
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim will head to the bench Saturday night for their game against the Baltimore Orioles in favor of veteran Andrew Knizner. It appears to be a standard day of rest for Heim. The veteran backstop is hitting .238 with eight home runs, 36 RBI, one stolen base, and 32 runs scored. Look for Heim to be back in the lineup as the Rangers close out the series with the Orioles tomorrow afternoon.
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim (neck) is back behind the plate and will hit seventh on Wednesday against the hosting Los Angeles Angels and right-hander Griffin Canning. Heim is feeling good enough to give it a go after he was scratched from Tuesday night's lineup with neck stiffness as a precaution. He hasn't picked up a hit in four career at-bats against Canning, but Heim should be returned to starting lineups nevertheless. The former fourth-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2013 has hit .333 (15-for-45) with two home runs, three doubles, four RBI and eight runs scored in 13 games (11 starts) since June 24. Heim's overall numbers don't really scream superstar -- .244 average, eight home runs, 36 RBI -- but the switch-hitting backstop is on pace to set a new career-high in long balls after making his first All-Star team in 2023.
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim (neck) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels with neck stiffness. It doesn't sound like a serious issue, so fantasy managers should consider Heim day-to-day ahead of Wednesday's series finale in Anaheim. In 78 games for the Rangers this season, the switch-hitting backstop is batting .244 (68-for-279) with eight homers, 36 RBI, and one stolen base. In his place, Adolis Garcia is now operating as the designated hitter while Derek Hill enters the lineup to bat ninth against Angels right-hander Roansy Contreras and park in right field.
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim has been on a tear at the plate during Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The switch-hitting catcher went 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, and three runs scored in the blowout win. Heim came out of the gate slowly but he has been getting it going with the bat lately. Over his last 15 games, Heim is 15-for-49 with two home runs and five RBI. Fantasy managers in need of help behind the plate should take a look at Heim.
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Brewers. It was the seventh long ball of the season for the backstop, The 29-year-old has a .234-7-33-25-1 line on the season with a .281 wOBA and 79 wRC+, which is a far cry from his .324 wOBA and 103 wRC+ campaign from a season ago. The switch hitter drove in 95 runs last season in 501 plate appearances but is on pace for just 63 this season. Still, he sits just outside the top-12 at the position for fantasy so he makes for a fine backup catcher if needed.
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored in Wednesday's 9-1 romp over the Tigers. The home run was his sixth of the season, but after posting a solid .438 SLG last season, the switch hitter owns a .372 SLG thus far, along with a .295 wOBA and 89 wRC+. Heim's 95 RBI last season led all catchers by a wide margin, but the 28-year-old is on pace for just 72 this season. Still, his current numbers put him in the Top-12 at the catcher position, so if he can build off this game then he could rise further up the ranks in no time.
Jonah Heim Posts Seventh Multi-Hit Game Of The Season
Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim tallied two hits for the seventh time of the season to lead the Rangers to a series victory over the Washington Nationals. Heim laced a single to left field in the second frame and was able to cross home plate via an Ezequiel Duran double. The 28-year-old then knocked an RBI single in the eighth inning to score Nathaniel Lowe to increase the Texas lead. During the young season, Heim has proven to be a solid batting average contributor with a .263 AVG, which is on pace to be a new career-high. Heim remains a strong second catcher in two-catcher leagues and is a sneaky play in DFS due to the strong lineup around him.
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