The defending champs have some impending free agents in their rotation and bullpen that they may be looking to trade.
At the start of the season, the Rangers were riding high. After suffering through back-to-back 90-loss seasons, Texas bounced back with a 90-win season. Despite losing the AL West title to the Astros on the final day, they swept the Rays and Orioles in the early postseason rounds, defeated the Astros in a thrilling seven-game ALCS, and overwhelmed the Diamondbacks to secure their first World Series title. While Rangers fans were ecstatic, New Yorkers were also pleased as Texas had to defeat two of the Yankees’ division rivals and their current nemesis to reach the World Series and then beat a team still resented for the 2001 World Series.
Fast forward to today, and the mood in Arlington isn’t as bright. The Rangers currently have a 42-48 record, standing 6.5 games behind the division-leading Mariners and 7 games out of the third Wild Card spot. They’ve been mediocre overall, with a 44-46 Pythagorean record reflecting their slightly below-average performance both on the mound and at the plate.
Not surprisingly, recent reports suggest that league executives believe the Rangers will be sellers at the trade deadline. Key pitchers like Max Scherzer, Michael Lorenzen, Andrew Heaney, David Robertson, and All-Star closer Kirby Yates are expected to be available. Although GM Chris Young mentioned that the Rangers haven’t yet decided on their trade deadline strategy, as they are just one hot streak away from contention, it’s still worth exploring potential Yankees’ targets on the Rangers’ roster.
Offensively, the Rangers’ key players are likely off-limits. Big-ticket free agents Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, along with young talents like Josh Smith, Wyatt Langford, Leody Taveras, Nathaniel Lowe, and Adolis Garcia, are all under team control for the foreseeable future. Unless the Rangers opt for a full-scale rebuild, it’s improbable they would part with any of these players.
The pitching staff, however, is a different story. The Rangers have several pitchers who are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, including Scherzer, Heaney, Lorenzen, Yates, José Leclerc, and José Ureña. Additionally, Robertson has a mutual option for 2025, and Nathan Eovaldi has a vesting option he is likely to miss. These arms could be on the move for the right price.
With the exception of Leclerc and Heaney, any of these pitchers would be significant additions for the Yankees. Scherzer, despite limited innings due to offseason surgery, would bring postseason experience to the rotation. Lorenzen and Eovaldi have ERAs better than all Yankees starters except the injured Clarke Schmidt. Robertson and Yates would bolster the bullpen with their high strikeout rates, addressing a critical need for the Yankees.
Whether the Rangers will trade some of their impending free-agent pitchers or hold onto them for a second-half push remains to be seen. They might even trade some depth for future assets without fully giving up on the season. If they do decide to trade, Brian Cashman should be ready to strengthen the Yankees’ inconsistent rotation and struggling bullpen, despite the lineup needing help as well.
