Who will the Texas Rangers target before trade deadline?
With the trade deadline looming just over the horizon, the Texas Rangers are feeling out some big moves. We look at all of the possibilities.
With just over a month left before the MLB trade deadline, teams are starting to feel out possible moves that they want to make. Some teams may have a fire sale and others will look to shore up playoff hopes.
The rumor mill has begun to grind into life with reports of teams reaching out to each other and one of the hottest teams in baseball, the Texas Rangers, is one of them.
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi has reported that Bochy and the Rangers have reached out to Pittsburgh on the possibility of acquiring DH Andrew McCutchen. While the Pirates have shown no signs of being willing to deal their best bat, the prodigious crash that they have suffered this season might mean that they are willing to go all in on a rebuild.
If the move comes to pass, it would mean reuniting McCutchen with manager Bruce Bochy, who he played under in San Francisco.
Texas has stunned even their own fans with the depth and longevity of their play this season, and look for all the world like the best team in the American League. With the loss of Jacob deGrom for the season, their rotation could use a hand, and their bullpen has struggled of late, dropping 15 losses - half of the team’s total.
General Manager Chris Young has declared that he will do whatever is necessary to see that the Rangers season continues with every possible chance to make the World Series.
Given that the Rangers have built their season on a dominant rotation, leaning heavily on Nathan Eovaldi and getting some sterling work out of Jon Gray and Dane Dunning, the smart money is on Bochy and Young trying to add another arm to that rotation.
Chicago White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito has been linked to possible trade offers, as has Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. And while there have been no confirmed rumors, there are rumblings that the Rangers might take a poke at Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber, White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease, San Francisco Giants right-hander Alex Cobb or even try to dip back in the well by luring former Rangers starter and current White Sox right-hander Lance Lynn.
All of these are speculative rumblings at this moment, but with that August 1 deadline inching ever closer, expect at least one of these rumors to grow from a low moan to a roar. And while speculative options are open for discussion, it would be churlish to omit the elephant in the room. Max Scherzer.
His massive-money move to the Mets includes a full no-trade clause, but this only means that he has to approve any trade deal. According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, Scherzer has expressed the opinion that he may, emphasize “may”, be open to a trade “for the right situation.”
It would be hard to imagine a situation that could be more “right” than throwing your hat in with the Texas Rangers right now. And with Chris Young’s commitment to doing “whatever necessary” there could be a scenario in which the 39-year-old Scherzer decides that he wants to have a go in Arlington.