The Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals made a trade for Aroldis Chapman in June. Will Texas regret it as they watch Cole Ragans develop?
Cole Ragans, Shoving.
If you’re not paying attention to Cole Ragans, you should be. pic.twitter.com/nvUFxGFZox
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 30, 2023
Why The Trade Happened
Nearing the July trade season, the Rangers were one of the surprises of the MLB season. Projected to compete for a wild-card spot, Texas held a four-game lead on June 30th, the day the trade was made. At the time, they had the second-best record in the American League, but their bullpen was 23rd in the league by ERA (4.31). Left-hander Aroldis Chapman was viewed as one of the top relievers on the market, and the Rangers pulled an early trigger by swinging a deal for him. In exchange, they parted with lefty Cole Ragans and a minor-league outfielder. Ragans was viewed as collateral, given his role on Texas’ staff as a reliever who was projected to be a starter long-term. At only 25 years old, the Royals saw his promise and gave him some time in Triple-A to merge back into a starting role.
An Emerging Star?
Since July 15th, when he made his Royals debut, Ragans has solidified himself as one of the most exciting young pitchers in baseball. In 7 starts in Kansas City, Ragans has dominated with a 1.73 ERA in 41.2 innings pitched. He’s struck out 12.1 batters per nine innings, nearly six times as many as he walks. He’s racked up at least nine strikeouts in four of his seven starts as a Royal. However, what might be most impressive is his velocity. Last season, according to Statcast, Ragans averaged 92 mph on his fastball, topping out at 95. In 2023, Ragans has improved to sit at 96 on his four-seamer, stretching to 101 mph. According to Baseball Savant, Ragans’ fastball now lies in the 92nd percentile for spin rate. He’ll be a steal for the Royals if he continues to trend upward.
Was It Worth It?
Now that the Rangers trade for Chapman is two months in the rearview, we can start to gauge its effectiveness. In short, it has yet to have the desired effect. Chapman has been good as a Ranger, continuing his 2023 resurgence. However, it has yet to have the boost on the bullpen as it was hoped. Chapman has a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings, but the rest of the bullpen has regressed. Since the day of the trade, Texas relievers are 24th in ERA at 5.12, and the team has gone 26-26. They sit in third place in the AL West, a game behind the Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros. They hold a 2.5-game lead for the third wild card spot, but their struggles have opened questions about the effectiveness of the trade.
Ultimately, the results of the season have yet to be official. The Rangers trade for Chapman was made with October in mind. If they make a deep run and Chapman continues being an effective pitcher, Texas won’t have too many complaints. However, hindsight is ever-present, and the more Ragans excels, the more questions will arise. We might view this trade as a loss for the Rangers in a few years. Acquiring relievers at the deadline is always an exercise in volatility. However, what the Rangers gave up may be most regrettable.
Main Photo Credits: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
