Texas Rangers utility man Ezequiel Duran had a bounce-back campaign in 2026 after struggling in the previous two seasons.
The Texas Rangers are still trying to recapture the magic that helped them win the 2023 World Series. So far, it has eluded them.
The Rangers finished the 2026 Major League Baseball season 80-82, marking the second time in the three seasons since their World Series title that they have posted a losing record. What's more, Texas failed to make the playoffs once again in what turned out to be an incredibly attainable American League West Division.
The Rangers have a lot to figure out if they want to become a postseason contender again, because the brand of baseball they are playing right now simply isn't good enough. However, there were some bright spots this season and some good performers, one of whom was utility man Ezequiel Duran.
Grading Duran’s season
Duran, 27, was a member of the 2023 World Series team, and he put up solid numbers.
During that season, Duran appeared in 122 games and posted a .276 batting average, a .324 on-base percentage, a .443 slugging percentage and a .767 OPS with 14 home runs. However, the two seasons that followed saw Duran play in fewer than 100 games as he bounced between the minors and the major-league roster, in large part due to declining numbers.
The 2025 season was the worst of Duran's career at the plate. He appeared in 90 games and posted a slash line of .224/.266/.293 with a .559 OPS in 205 at-bats.
Duran was in a rut, but he turned it around in 2026. This season, Duran appeared in 153 games, a career high, and posted a .260 batting average, a .320 on-base percentage, a .419 slugging percentage, and a .739 OPS with 17 home runs in 539 at-bats.
It was not quite as good as his 2023 season, but Duran proved to be invaluable to a roster that needed him, and he did not let them down.
While Duran’s numbers at the plate mostly returned to what they used to be, he continued to play any position that was asked of him during the season. In the 153 games he appeared in, Duran made appearances across the infield, while also playing 21 games in left field, 18 games in center field, and 14 games in right field.
Duran made it clear that he was willing to do whatever the team asked of him, and he backed up his words with actions. For his efforts and his return from the struggles he faced in 2025, Duran deserves a B-plus for the season.
The Rangers may still be in a rut since winning it all for the first time in franchise history, but Durant showed that he could bounce back from tough and inconsistent campaigns. Whatever Texas decides to do in the offseason, it needs to maintain players like Duran because he demonstrates the type of resolve needed to recapture success.
