It’s almost trade season as the first third of the season is over. The MLB trade deadline is coming, and faster than a lot of teams would hope. One of those teams is the aging Texas Rangers ballclub, which was hoping to add another year of contention to their window. Unfortunately, they’ve had a hard time consistently scoring runs and are on the outside looking in for the postseason picture. That’s why Joel Sherman of the New York Post thinks that the Texas Rangers have the pieces to alter the look of the deadline this year.
What Pieces Do the Rangers Have to Sell at the MLB trade deadline?
While it may not seem that way, the Rangers do have a few pieces they could part with to reload their farm system and supplement their aging roster. Underperformance also plays into any potential decision by the Rangers at the deadline. Sherman writes, “Texas just can’t hit for a second straight year, and its head of baseball operations, Chris Young, is not patient.”
He goes on to say that it’s possible the Rangers could deal some expiring contracts, particularly on the pitching side. After all, as a staff, they have the third-lowest ERA in the majors at 3.21. A trio of starters are on expiring contracts, including a resurgent Patrick Corbin, Tyler Mahle, and Jon Gray.
Sherman writes that “None of that moves the needle much.”
The Real Prize on the Rangers
While MLB has plenty of gambling advertisements, would MLB teams be willing to bet on the health of Jacob deGrom? It’s a large ask, considering he’ll surpass his highest inning total since 2022 in his next start and hasn’t thrown more than 92 innings since 2019.
Even still, Sherman writes: “Jacob deGrom has a full no-trade clause and might not want to go anywhere. He has two years at $75 million due and a long injury history. But he also starts Game 1 if he is right. Would a team(s) gamble to get him?”
There are plenty of executives who might look for that kind of splash if deGrom is still showing the same kind of stuff he is now. He’s sitting 97.1 with his fastball, and his Baseball Savant page has plenty of red to go along with it. Among qualified starters, his 2.42 ERA places him 11th in all of MLB. The caveat here is that he is in his age-37 season, and Father Time, unfortunately, spares no one, even the talent of deGrom.
The Market for Jacob deGrom
While the Rangers have some other pieces, the big prize would be Jacob deGrom if you’re betting on his health moving forward. That is a big if.
If the Boston Red Sox can right the ship and address some of their injuries, they could be in a position to make a move while also having the deep pockets to get a deal done. Some other teams that come to mind are the New York Yankees, following the loss of their true ace, Gerrit Cole, to surgery. The threat of the Los Angeles Dodgers is looming, and the Houston Astros might also look to jump into the fray if their patchwork rotation can pull them ahead in the division race with the Seattle Mariners.
All that said, it is a big gamble, and perhaps for some MLB executives, the safer bet at the MLB trade deadline would be to acquire one of the other starters the Rangers have to offer. That being said, the greater the risk, the greater the reward, and deGrom and the Rangers could definitely alter the landscape of the deadline.
Main Image Credit: © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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