The Rangers are acquiring catcher Carson Kelly from the Tigers to strengthen their catching lineup. In exchange, Texas will send catching prospect Liam Hicks and right-handed pitching prospect Tyler Owens to Detroit. Both teams have confirmed the trade.

Kelly, 30, was signed by the Tigers in August of the previous year after being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks. A second-round pick by the Cardinals in 2012, Kelly was once a top-50 prospect but had a rough 2023 season with the Diamondbacks before being DFA’d. He didn’t make an immediate impact with the Tigers last year, hitting just .173 in 18 games, but has turned things around in 2024. He’s now the Tigers’ primary catcher, boasting a solid .242/.327/.393 slash line and excellent defensive metrics, including elite blocking and game management skills.

For the Rangers, Kelly’s addition is expected to address a position that has underperformed this year. After a strong 2023 season, Jonah Heim has struggled offensively, hitting only .234 this year, while backup Andrew Knizner has been even worse, with a .167 average and a dismal 4 wRC+ in 37 games. Kelly should provide a significant upgrade over Knizner and help ease Heim’s workload as he tries to regain his previous form.