As the trade deadline approaches, the Texas Rangers must soon decide if they are buyers or sellers. Their current status remains unknown. There have been rumors of the team going strong after Cole Hamels, and there have been rumors of them backing off their pursuit of Hamels. In terms of selling, the only players the team is openly considering trading are veteran pitchers. The trade deadline is seven days away, and it will likely take each of those seven days for the Rangers to decide whether they will buy or sell.
If the Rangers sell…
Clik here to view.
If the Rangers sell, they would be limited in who they could give up. Once again, Gallardo is a definite option. Gallardo’s contract will be up at the end of the season and he will become a free agent. If the Rangers do not see Gallardo as a long-term possibility, and if they are weary of making the playoffs, then why not see what they can get for the veteran pitcher. Seemingly at every trade deadline, there will be a number of teams looking to acquire a veteran, middle of the rotation starter. In addition to his soon to be free agency, Gallardo has increased his value through his impressive pitching this season. His current 2.91 ERA should make him a highly sought after trading piece.
To a lesser degree than Gallardo, Colby Lewis is also an option. The 35 year old Lewis will join Gallardo in free agency this upcoming winter, making him expendable as the deadline approaches. Lewis has put up a solid fight this season, posting a 9-4 record and pitching over 118 innings, but doing it all with a 4.63 ERA. Lewis is not as valuable as Gallardo, but the Rangers could receive a solid prospect or two in a potential exchange. In a similar situation as Lewis, Wandy Rodriguez is another veteran arm that the Rangers are considering trading.
There is not much else for the Rangers to sell outside of those three veteran arms. Texas entered the season as the youngest team in baseball with an average age of 28. The Rangers have few veterans to trade, and too many young players to trade away before giving them a chance to reach their potential within the organization.
If they buy…
If the Rangers decide to buy, they would have a decision within a decision. The first decision is to buy instead of sell, next they decide if they want to play for this year, or for years to come.
Years to come…
Clik here to view.
Acquiring Hamels would be playing for years to come. If they trade for Hamels by the deadline, they would have him for the remainder of the season, plus he would be under contract through the 2018 season. Of course Hamels is expensive, and it remains to be seen what and who the Rangers would be comfortable giving up. The Phillies have made it clear that their asking price for Hamels is out the roof. Given the Ranger’s position, the team will only go after a starting pitcher that they can obtain beyond the 2015 season. NO RENTALS!
If they play for this year…
The NO RENTALS strategy has an asterisk to it. *The team can acquire a player for two months but only if they do not give up any of their prospective talent. In other words, the Rangers can chase after players that will fill a void, but need to refrain from giving up too much for a temporary player that may or may not get them to the playoffs. The Rangers are in need of anyone who can hit left-handed pitching, but with the market for hitters as thin as it its, and most of those on the market being left-handed hitters, that will be a tough role to fill. As I’ve mentioned, Ben Zobrist could be a good fit, but that would only happen if Oakland would be willing to trade within the division.
The Rangers could survive without adding a hitter, but an area in which they can’t survive lies within the bullpen. Texas continues to have one of the worst bullpens in baseball. Their pen is young and inexperienced, and has been particularly weak in the setup role, and unsure of themselves in the closer role. If the Rangers want to have any chance at making the playoffs, they must secure the back end of the bullpen. Options here could be Jonathan Papelbon or Tyler Clippard. The Phillies are now considering removing Papelbon from trade talks, but nothing is permanent yet. Clippard would be another inter-division trade possibility between Texas and Oakland. Both relievers are having outstanding seasons, it would be wise for the Rangers to acquire an established veteran to help sustain their chance at making the playoffs.
The Rangers have very little time to make many decisions. Whether they play for this year or for next year, what’s most important is the protection of their prized prospects. Stay tuned, it will be interesting to see what approach the team takes come July 31st.