Rangers Sign Free Agent Former All-Star Game MVP

The Texas Rangers have bolstered their catching depth, executing a late-night signing of former All-Star Game MVP Elias Diaz. It's a major league deal for the veteran catcher who was recently DFA'd by the Kansas City Royals.

The Texas Rangers are signing C Elías Díaz, sources tell @ElExtrabase.

The former All-Star Game MVP will join the big league team. He was DFA’d by the #Royals recently.
— Daniel Álvarez-Montes (@DanielAlvarezEE) June 6, 2026

Diaz elected free agency this past Wednesday after being designated for assignment by the Royals two weeks ago. This came despite a pretty good stint with KC in limited time. He had two home runs and five RBIs in just 22 at-bats, with an .852 OPS.

He will immediately join the major league roster, although the Rangers have two regulars at backstop in Danny Jansen and Kyle Higashioka. The former, however, is batting just .171 with a 586 OPS and only three homers. Higashioka, the former longtime Yankees catcher, is doing somewhat better thus far, batting .242 with four dingers.

Diaz, now 35, was an unlikely winner of the 2023 All-Star Game MVP while with the Colorado Rockies.

He batted a career-high .267 that season with a personal best 72 RBIs and 14 homers.

He's been mostly a backup since then. Last year with the San Diego Padres, he got in 283 plate appearances while registering a .204 average and .607 OPS.