Evan Carter is going to be out for a while. The Texas Rangers recently announced he had hip labrum surgery. His status for opening day isn’t clear.

The Rangers were already assessing their options at center field, where Carter was a Gold Glove finalist for the first time but batted under .200 for the season. He has yet to be productive against left-handed pitching as he closes in on 1,000 MLB at-bats. He has an injury history that is hard to ignore. He may not fulfill the potential the Rangers had for him.

Texas could go several different routes to handle center field if Carter isn’t ready for opening day. Free agency is an option. But is it the right option?

ESPN recently posted its Top 50 free agents for the 2027 season, and the list yielded just four center fielders. That poses an issue for the Rangers if that’s the route they decide to take — it makes that pursuit a buyer’s market for the few center fielders on the list. It means there will be more competition for Texas.

Note: This list does not account for the idea that the Rangers could sign an option to take over in left field, which would allow them to move Wyatt Langford in center field.

Mauricio Dubon

MAURICIO DUBÓN

WOW! pic.twitter.com/sKY8h6vL6Y

— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2026

The former Houston Astros super-utility player isn’t even a “pure” center field option, but like Ezequiel Duran he can play so many different positions that signing him as that option makes sense. He’s played 214 career games in center field, so he could platoon there with Carter or take over the position full-time if Carter isn’t ready for spring training. He’s also a right-handed hitter, a good counter to Carter’s left-handed bat.

He’s a career .261/.301/.379 with 51 home runs and 273 RBI. He’s also won two Gold Glove awards as a utility player.

ESPN projected him as a player that could land a two-year contract worth $16 million. He’ll be 32 yards old on opening day, so he’s not exactly “young and athletic” but his experience playing around the diamond and in the AL West is worth it.

Daulton Varsho

Daulton Varsho had a weird 2026. He started in Toronto, was traded to Houston and saw his bat go in the tank with the Astros. He finished the season with a slash of .221/.281/.355 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI. That mimics his lifetime slash. He’s not efficient at getting on base and tends to get hurt. But he is a Gold Glove winner in center field and when he’s hot at the plate the ball leaves the park in a hurry.

He’ll be 30 years old on opening day. ESPN estimates he could get a one-year deal worth $15 million. Given his streakiness and his propensity for getting hurt of late, the Rangers might not want to venture into this in free agency.

Trent Grisham

Trent Grisham makes it a 5-run inning for the @Yankees! 💪 pic.twitter.com/Z8qXVAENhQ

— MLB (@MLB) March 26, 2026

Trent Grisham is a player that some teams may try to buy on the dip, so to speak. He slashed .211/.308/.395 with 18 home runs and 59 RBI in 2026. This was after he hit a peak with his power in 2025 as he slashed .235/.348/.464 with 34 home runs and 74 RBI. Like Carter, he’s a left-handed hitter, but he’s a lifetime .228 batter against lefties.

This would be a homecoming from him. He was born in Burleson and played high school baseball at Richland High School in North Richland Hills, Texas, before he was the Milwaukee Brewers’ first-round pick out of high school. Like Varsho, he’s a Gold Glove winner at the position. ESPN estimates he’ll get a one-year deal worth $15 million. He will be 30 years old on opening day.

Luis Robert Jr.

One of the most pursued trade targets of the past two years, the Chicago White Sox finally dealt him before the 2026 season to the New York Mets. The Mets waived him and the Baltimore Orioles picked him up. He slashed a career-low .221/.300/.407 with 11 home runs and 26 RBI as he only played 61 games.

With the White Sox he was an All-Star, a Silver Slugger, a Gold Glove winner and an MVP candidate. But his batting average has gone down every year since 2021. He’ll be 29 years old on opening day.

ESPN estimates he’ll get a one-year deal worth $10.5 million. He’s a right-handed bat, which is a good complement to Carter. He fits the profile of the young, athletic player the Rangers are looking for. But the trend in his batting average is concerning.