The Texas Rangers are rumored to be interested in selling before the MLB trade deadline amid their inconsistent 2024 season.
How Rangers Selling At Trade Deadline Could Save Team’s Future
The Rangers currently have a 42-48 record. They are in third place in the American League West and six games behind the Seattle Mariners for first place in the division. Texas still has a chance to make a playoff run, but with a veteran and injury-plagued roster, selling before the MLB trade deadline may be the team’s best option in 2024.
The Rangers do not need to trade stars under contract for the foreseeable future such as Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Rangers are rumored to be interested in trading pitchers Max Scherzer, Andrew Heaney, Michael Lorenzen, David Robertson and Kirby Yates. All five pitchers are relievers who could net intriguing returns in the trade market.
Max Scherzer Among Rangers Trade Candidates
The idea of trading Scherzer has been floated around over the past few weeks. He is going to be a free agent following the 2024 season. Scherzer has a proven track record and will likely draw the interest of serious contenders.
Heaney and Lorenzen are the other Rangers starters who may be available for trades. Heaney features attention-catching strikeout potential but has struggled to find consistency during his MLB career. Lorenzen is a former All-Star who is more than capable of positively impacting a contending ball club.
Meanwhile, Robertson and Yates are talented relief pitchers who are both performing well in 2024. They are veterans who could help to change the dynamic of a bullpen.
Should The Rangers Give Up On The 2024 Season?
Selling ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline would not signal a complete surrender for the Rangers. It isn’t as if they are set to deal with players who would otherwise impact their future in the long term. Trading the aforementioned veterans away would allow Texas to acquire young and controllable talent to build around its core of stars. Of course, that core of stars led the Rangers to a World Series victory in 2023.
Perhaps the Rangers could still find a way to compete this season while making the veterans available in trade talks. If not, Texas should have a legitimate opportunity to bounce back in 2025 and beyond if they make quality trades.
In addition to Seager and Semien, the Rangers have future stars on the roster, such as Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter. Adding more prospects around those players would improve the team’s long-term outlook.
An Interesting Situation
In the end, the Rangers are in an interesting situation. Few teams could realistically still fight for a playoff spot despite selling key veterans at the MLB trade deadline. Texas features enough all-around talent to accomplish that feat possibly.
Of course, if the team catches fire over the next few weeks, they could consider not selling at all. If Texas continues to play a mediocre baseball brand, then trading Scherzer and the other veteran pitchers will be the best course of action.
Main Photo Credits: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
