As the Rangers hopes for 2024 dim with every one-two-three inning, it’s time to realistically start thinking about the trade deadline.
Even if the Rangers were in contention, you’d have to wonder if they would have added much anyway, given how they avoided spening money in the offseason for fear of going over the luxury tax, and due to the uncertainty of their TV revenue. (Which is why they are in this situation in the first place. They gambled that they had the talent to compete. They lost.)
So, with their offseason frugality in mind, had the Rangers been in contention this year, they probably wouldn’t have made a major trade. It would have most likely been a small deal here or there, but nothing splashy. And by that, meaning nothing expensive. Remember, their big offensive acquisition so far has been Robbie Grossman.
But that’s all moot. Now that the Rangers are doing their best impression of the exploding Titan submersible, it’s time to start thinking about building the team for next year.
They need a centerfielder who can hit, a productive first baseman with power, and a designated hitter who is a bona fide hitter and not just a utility guy thrust in that role on a revolving basis. They could also use a catcher who can hit, but they can get away with Heim if they don’t have so many other holes.
The good news is, the Rangers have six top quality arms to trade to teams desperate for starters and relievers. And teams are always desperate for arms.
Max Scherzer, Andrew Heaney, and Michael Lorenzen will be free agents at the end of this season. All three would be highly attractive to teams looking to bolster their rotations. Then there are Kirby Yates, David Robertson, and Jose Ureña, all three are free agents at the end of the season, all would be huge additions to any team’s bullpen. Each one of these five quality arms should bring back a nice haul of prospects.
Yes, the Rangers need bona fide major league bats, but it’s hard to get a team that’s in the playoff mix to trade a bat of that caliber when they need it for their own playoff run.
So, stockpile prospects now, then turn those into bona fide major league offense in the offseason.
The Rangers are sitting ugly in the standings. Only five major league teams have a worse record (two of those are in their own division). But they are sitting pretty at the trade deadline.
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