The Texas Rangers are welcoming back a franchise legend in former second baseman Ian Kinsler.
Th 40-year-old and Rangers Hall-of-Famer is joining the team’s front office as a special assistant to General Manager Chris Young.
Kinsler was drafted by the Rangers in 2003 out of the University of Missouri and made his debut in 2006.
He helped lead the Rangers to the World Series in 2010 and 2011 before ultimately being traded to the Detroit Tigers.
Kinsler was with the Rangers until 2014, spending eight seasons with the team as a player.
On Twitter, the Rangers welcomed back their franchise legend, announcing his new role with the team.
Welcome back, Ian!
We've named Rangers Hall of Famer Ian Kinsler Special Assistant to the General Manager. pic.twitter.com/2nR9oHMe5H
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) February 6, 2023
During his eight years in Texas, Kinsler hit for a .273 batting average and hit a total of 156 home runs.
He also drove in 539 runs and had an OPS of .804.
Kinsler and the Rangers came to within one strike of winning the World Series in 2011 before the St. Louis Cardinals battled back to force Game 7 and ultimately defeat them, but he was a key piece of the puzzle and helped turn the Rangers into a contender.
He also spent time with the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres, winning his only World Series ring in 2018 with Boston.
But he’s best known for his contributions in Texas.
Kinsler was selected to four All-Star teams and won two Gold Glove Awards during his 14-year career.
Now, he’ll officially rejoin the Rangers in a new position as the team looks to build off of a strong offseason and bounce back into contention.
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