JONAH HEIM NEWS

Giving way to Higashioka on Sunday Heim is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.

Impact Heim and Kyle Higashioka ended up splitting time behind the plate during the season-opening series with the Red Sox, with the two backstops picking up a pair of starts apiece. While it's unclear if the timeshare arrangement will continue all season long, Heim's hold on the No. 1 catching job in Texas at least appears to be more tenuous coming off a dismal 2024 campaign in which he mustered a .603 OPS over 491 plate appearances. Heim has gotten off to a nice start through his first two games of 2025, popping a pair of solo home runs in six plate appearances.

2 HOURS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Rounds bases twice Heim went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs in Texas' 4-1 win over the Red Sox on Friday.

Impact Swatting a pair of home runs is not a bad way to collect your first two hits of the season, and in doing so, Heim now has two multi-HR games across his five seasons in the majors. His first home run in the third inning Friday barely cleared the right-field wall, but his fifth-inning shot was a bit more convincing at 417 feet. Although Heim didn't start the season opener, he's expected to remain the Rangers' primary catcher this season and is showing early signs of a bounce-back campaign after finishing 2024 with a .603 OPS.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Texas Rangers rookie Jack Leiter gets 1st big league victory after taking a couple of 'hits'

Texas rookie Jack Leiter took a couple of hits before getting his first big league victory

1 DAY AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jonah Heim's two homers help Rangers past Red Sox Jonah Heim slugged two homers and right-hander Jack Leiter picked up his first major league victory as the Texas Rangers recorded a 4-1 vict...

1 DAY AGO • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM

Jonah Heim homers twice and rookie Jack Leiter gets 1st career win as Rangers beat Red Sox 4-1

Jonah Heim hit two solo homers and rookie Jack Leiter allowed one run over five innings for his first big league win as the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1

1 DAY AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

On bench for opener Heim is out of the lineup for Thursday's season opener versus the Red Sox.

Impact Heim has served as Texas' primary backstop for the past three seasons, but he'll give way to Kyle Higashioka behind the plate as the Rangers open the 2025 campaign. After he saw his OPS drop 152 points from .755 in 2023 to .603 in 2024, Heim could be at risk of moving into more a timeshare at catcher with Higashioka in the fold. Higashioka is coming off a 2024 season in San Diego in which he posted a .739 OPS over 263 plate appearances.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Kumar Rocker, Rangers rotation hopeful, shows progress in unofficial third start of spring The 25-year-old threw 39 pitches (23 for strikes) Saturday to a group of that included Joc Pederson, Josh Smith and Jonah Heim.

MARCH 8 • DALLASNEWS.COM

Logs two hits Saturday Heim went 2-for-2 with a run scored, threw out an attempted stolen base, and pickoff a runner at third base in Saturday's spring game against the Brewers.

Impact Heim had a strong game after fellow catcher Kyle Higashioka belted two home runs and drove in six Friday. The two backstops are expected to have a relatively even share, which could help Heim maintain a strong bat all season and avoid a second-half fade.

MARCH 2 • ROTOWIRE

Reaches deal with Rangers Heim and the Rangers agreed to a one-year, $4.6 million contract to avoid arbitration Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Impact Heim is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility and will earn a $1.5 million raise from 2024. He's coming off of a disappointing season, slugging only 13 homers with a .602 OPS across 491 plate appearances. Heim is currently projected to split time behind the plate with newly-acquired Kyle Higashioka in 2025.

JANUARY 10 • ROTOWIRE

A no-no and big homer among the moments new Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka already had in Texas

Kyle Higashioka has already had some memorable moments at the home of the Texas Rangers

DECEMBER 3, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Will share time with Higashioka Rangers general manager Ross Fenstermaker said Tuesday that Heim and Kyle Higashioka will receive equal playing time at catcher next season, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Impact It's not a surprise to hear that Higashioka will play extensively after the Rangers announced a two-year, $13.5 million contract with the veteran catcher. Heim made the All-Star team and won a Gold Glove in 2023 but fell off to just a .602 OPS and saw his defensive metrics dip significantly in 2024, as well.

DECEMBER 3, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Rangers and catcher Kyle Higashioka agree to $13.5M, 2-year contract with mutual option for 2027

Free agent catcher Kyle Higashioka and the Texas Rangers have agreed on a $13.5 million, two-year contract that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season

DECEMBER 3, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rangers agree to contracts with pitchers Dane Dunning and Josh Sborz, leaving 3 arb-eligible players

The Texas Rangers have agreed to terms on new contracts for right-handed pitchers Dane Dunning and Josh Sborz

NOVEMBER 23, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

10 things to know about Texas Rangers' Jonah Heim, including his historic home runs Heim, the catcher of the Rangers’ 2023 World Series team, will look to bounce back from a difficult 2024 season.

OCTOBER 17, 2024 • DALLASNEWS.COM

Not starting Saturday Heim is absent from Saturday's lineup against the Angels.

Impact Heim will get a breather Saturday after going 1-for-4 with three strikeouts in Friday's 5-2 win over the Halos. Carson Kelly will start behind home plate and bat seventh.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Out of Texas lineup Heim is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Oakland.

Impact Heim reached base three times and homered in the first two games of the series, but he'll get a breather for the finale. Carson Kelly will do the catching and bat eighth for the Rangers.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Goes deep in Tuesday's loss Heim went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and two RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Athletics.

Impact Heim tied the game up in the top of the eighth with a solo home run off Scott Alexander for his first long ball since Aug. 31. Heim does have seven hits over his last six games but is hitting just .173 since the All-Star break. It's been a down year offensively for the 29-year-old, who's now slashing .218/.265/.333 with 13 homers, 57 RBI, 43 runs, a steal and a 25:85 BB:K in 475 plate appearances.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Wilson gets winning hit in 9th as A's open final series at Coliseum with 5-4 victory over Rangers

Jacob Wilson’s single with one out in the ninth inning gave the Oakland Athletics a 5-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night in the opener of their final series at the C...

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Getting breather Saturday Heim isn't in the Rangers' lineup for Saturday's game versus the Mariners.

Impact After collecting four hits across his last four games, Heim will take a seat on the bench Saturday while Carson Kelly catches for right-hander Dane Dunning and bats eighth.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

It was unique debut season for 212 MLB players during pandemic-altered 2020

There were 212 players who made their MLB debuts during the 2020 season that was delayed until late July and shortened to 60 games because of the pandemic

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Plates two in win Heim went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, two RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 13-8 win over Toronto.

Impact Heim's two-run single in the sixth inning was the go-ahead hit in a wild back-and-forth game. Like year past, the second half of the season hasn't been kind to Heim (career .570 OPS post All-Star break), who entered the game 1-for-32 during September. The lack of second-half production has cost him at-bats, as Carson Kelly ate into Heim's playing time since being acquired at the trade deadline. Heim has 101 plate appearances since the beginning of August compared to Kelly's 88.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Langford and Taveras homer, struggling Heim has key hit as Rangers beat Blue Jays 13-8

Wyatt Langford homered and doubled twice, struggling Jonah Heim delivered a two-run single to break a sixth-inning tie and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 13-8 on Tues...

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Getting Saturday off Heim is absent from Saturday's lineup against Seattle.

Impact Heim went 0-for-4 with one strikeout in the Rangers' 5-4 loss to the Mariners on Friday. Since the beginning of September, he's gone just 1-for-29 with six strikeouts. Carson Kelly will start behind home plate Saturday while batting eighth.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Getting Saturday off Heim is absent from Saturday's lineup against Seattle.

Impact Heim went 0-for-4 with one strikeout in the Rangers' 4-5 loss to the Mariners on Friday. Since the beginning of September, He has gone just 1-for-29 with six strikeouts. Carson Kelly will serve behind home plate Saturday and bat eighth.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Getting afternoon off Heim is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Impact Heim will take a seat for Wednesday's matinee after he logged eight innings behind the plate in the Rangers' 6-0 loss Tuesday night. Carson Kelly will start at catcher in the series finale in Arizona.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2024 • ROTOWIRE