Rangers rumors: Texas showing "serious interest" in David Ortiz

The Texas Rangers have "serious interest" in signing long-time Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, sources have told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:

The Boston Red Sox are not alone in their pursuit of designated hitter David Ortiz. The Texas Rangers also have expressed serious interest in Ortiz, major-league sources say, envisioning him as a left-handed hitting replacement for their own free agent, Josh Hamilton.

The Red Sox are still the favorites to re-sign Ortiz, and have until midnight Friday to negotiate with him exclusively before he becomes available to all teams. Boston is reportedly nearing an agreement on a two-year deal with Ortiz, but some believe it is inevitable that he will hit the open market.

Rosenthal speculates that Big Papi could be the power bat Texas will need to replace impending free agents Josh Hamilton and/or Mike Napoli, and that acquiring Ortiz would cause a dramatic, "more boisterous" shift in the Rangers' clubhouse dynamic.

Ortiz, 36, missed much of the second half due to injury, but was still as productive as ever when healthy. The big lefty-slugger hit .318/.415/.611 with twenty-three home runs in ninety games on the season.