There are home runs. And then there’s the 505-foot blast Nomar Mazara hit June 21 for the Rangers against the White Sox at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.
“I got that one pretty good,” Mazara said during a conference call Wednesday. “The wind helped me a lot, but I hit it really, really good. Unfortunately it was against my guy though, (Reynaldo) Lopez.”
Mazara and Lopez are now teammates after the Sox traded for the right fielder last week during the winter meetings.
Mazara, 24, was about to go to sleep Dec. 10 when word came from his agent.
“I was ready at that moment,” he said.
He took a positive outlook to the move.
“Change is always good for everybody,” Mazara said. “A lot of good things are going to happen.”
The left-handed hitter had a .268/.318/.469 slash line with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs in 116 games in 2019. He had 108 strikeouts and 28 walks.
His success came primarily against right-handed pitchers. He hit .288 in 302 at-bats against right-handers with 13 home runs, 46 RBIs and an .844 OPS. He batted .220 in 127 at-bats against left-handers.
Sox general manager Rick Hahn mentioned Mazara’s “untapped potential” when he addressed the trade Dec. 11 in San Diego.
Manager Rick Renteria added: “As a young man, I don’t think he’s reached his stride yet. I’m hoping we’ll be able to get the most out of him and allow him to really flourish with us.”
Mazara said he’s ready to show what he’s capable of.
“In 2018, I was having my best season in the first half and then I got hurt,” he said, referring to a right thumb strain. “I got 15 homers in the first half of the season, and I missed a month and a half. And last year, the second half, I got hurt too (left oblique strain).
“I know I have a lot of injuries. You have to keep praying that I can stay healthy the whole season, and a lot of good things are going to happen.”
He’s also continuing to work on his defense; he had minus-4 defensive runs saved in 2019.
“I’m getting better every day,” Mazara said. “I’m never going to stop working.”
Mazara is familiar with several of his new teammates, including outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Leury Garcia, catcher Yasmani Grandal and first baseman Jose Abreu.
“Watching Abreu every year do what he does, all those crazy numbers, the work ethic, and he’s a really cool dude,” Mazara said. “The fact that I know all those guys, it’s going to be a family too. We are excited for the coming season.”
Mazara said he’s appreciative of his four seasons with the Rangers.
“They gave me a chance to play in the big leagues,” he said. “That’s everybody’s dream. They treated me really good.”
Now he’s ready for a new chapter.
“I’m working really hard,” Mazara said. “I’m in really good shape. I’m ready to take the next step.”