3 early Rangers MLB trade deadline targets
If the Rangers want to reclaim the AL West, Texas should begin looking towards the trade market.
The 2024 season has thus far been worse than even the most pessimistic Texas Rangers fan could have predicted. Entering play Thursday, the defending World Series champs were 32-35, 6.5 games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners
Fortunately, the MLB trade deadline is a time for all teams with any hope of contention to make the necessary tweaks to their rosters. And because of the expanded playoff format and general lack of good teams around baseball, Texas is much still in the playoff discussion. The Rangers have a slew of pitchers coming back off the injured list at some point, but they must not depend on those additions as their sole source of improvement.
Given that additions appear paramount, let’s talk about three potential trade targets that would instantly make Texas more viable as playoff contenders the rest of the way. The Rangers may be in hot water, but they’re also in a position to control the tone of the trade deadline if they bring in some of the big fish on the market.
Luis Robert Jr., White Sox outfielder
Not many seem to expect the Rangers to go after Luis Robert Jr., who is clearly one of the biggest names with the potential to be moved. Much of that ties back to the Rangers’ unwillingness to add significant payroll before this season, citing uncertainty with their television deal with Bally Sports and their bankrupt parent company. But what if they’re just waiting for the right time, for the right player?
The young outfield group was supposed to be one of the strengths of the Rangers this season, anchored in part by rookies Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford. But both have under-performed and so has postseason hero Adolis García, leaving Texas with one of the least valuable outfields in baseball by both WAR and OPS. Sure, Leody Taveras has played a good center field, but that shouldn’t preclude the Rangers from finding an upgrade.
Bringing in Robert would be huge for morale in the Rangers’ clubhouse. They don’t know how many more seasons they have left with Corey Seager and Marcus Semien up the middle at the peaks of their respective prowess. Their championship window is open, as winning a title last season clearly indicates. But if Texas wants to start a dynasty, they need one more big bat in their lineup.
