Rangers reportedly weighing teardown a year after winning World Series: Who could be sold at trade deadline?
The Rangers currently sit six games out in the AL West.
At 42-48, the Texas Rangers are six games out in the AL West and 7.5 games behind the third American League wild-card spot. They’ve lost 31 of their last 51 games — that’s even after sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays this past weekend — and SportsLine puts their postseason odds at a mere 12.2%. FanGraphs has a similar number: 10.7%.
It is hardly unprecedented for the defending World Series champion to miss the postseason, even with the supersized playoff field we have today — the Washington Nationals missed the 16-team postseason in 2020 after winning the 2019 World Series — but that certainly isn’t a group the Rangers want to join. They entered 2024 with designs on back-to-back titles.
“I believe in this team,” GM Chris Young said last week (via the Dallas Morning News). “I believe they are capable of a run. We just have to put ourselves in a better position so that nothing is insurmountable. This team had a 40-20 run last year. It’s in there.”
The 2023 Rangers ran very hot and cold and are a reminder things can change quickly in this game. That said, the trade deadline is only three weeks away, so decision time is approaching. Do the Rangers buy and try to climb back into postseason position? Or sell and try to put the roster in better position for 2025? That’s the question Young will have to answer reasonably soon.
According to The Athletic, the Rangers are currently planning both buy and sell scenarios, and if they do sell, they would not necessarily limit their selling to rentals. They could move players with control beyond 2024. That would be a difficult pill to swallow, but if it is the best thing for the organization, Young is obligated to consider it and act on whatever makes sense.
Who could the defending World Series champions sell at the deadline, if it does come to that? Here’s a look at their top trade chips.
