Moates appeared as a pinch runner for first baseman Jim Spencer on September 21st of 1974, somewhat of an unusual MLB debut.
He’d be back in the Majors the following season, appearing in 54 games and hitting a nice .274 with 48 hits over 175 at-bats, with three homers and 14 runs batted in.
In 1976 he’d play in 85 games for the Rangers, hitting .241 with 33 hits in 137 at-bats, but as it turned out it was the last Big League action he’d see as he would go on to spend the 1977 season split between the Rangers and New York Yankees Minor League systems, hitting .308 with 40 stolen bases, but never getting a call-up.
Don’t know why, but he called it a career at that point, still only 29 years of age, finishing his career with a .260 batting average, with 81 hits in 312 at-bats over 140 games, all for the Rangers between 1974 and 1976.