One of the oddest free agent signings of the offseason was the Texas Rangers signing Ian Desmond to play left field. Whether or not Desmond can shake off a slow start to the season, an unimpressive followup to the worst season of his career in 2015, there’s no way the Rangers will have room for him on their roster all season and must take steps toward trading him at some point.

At the moment, there is room for Desmond in the Texas outfield, so it makes sense to have him around and playing in left field every day, assuming he can break out of his slump at some point. However, over the course of the season, the Texas outfield will be far too crowded to keep Desmond. Both Shin-Soo Choo and Josh Hamilton are on the DL, but they should return by the end of May or early June.

Meanwhile, rookie Nomar Mazara continues to impress and could prove himself worthy of a spot in the Rangers’ outfield even after Choo and Hamilton return. Texas may soon also have to make room for slugger Joey Gallo, who is off to a hot start in Triple-A, and Desmond’s spot in left field is one place where the Rangers could put Gallo to get his bat in their lineup.

That’s four corner outfielders who may prove to be better options than Desmond in the Texas outfield, especially considering Desmond’s inexperience playing the outfield defensively. Having all four of those players available would not only push Desmond out of the starting lineup but off the roster altogether.

Barring a sudden opening at a middle infield position, by the early part of June the Rangers may have no choice but to cut ties with Desmond in some way. By that time, it’s possible that a team with hopes of contending will need an extra middle infielder and be interested in acquiring Desmond.