The Texas Rangers already showed one thing at the deadline: they do not need to empty the cupboard to make a meaningful bullpen upgrade.
On Wednesday, Texas sent a prospect to the Los Angeles Angels and came away with two players, headlined by right-handed reliever Chase Silseth. The move fit the kind of profile the Rangers like - chase, whiff and weak-contact numbers - and it may not be the last time they look for relief help with that same kind of efficiency.
That’s because the bullpen picture got a little thinner on Thursday when the Rangers placed right-hander Jakob Junis on the injured list for the second time. Silseth helps, but Texas still appears to need at least one more leverage arm, ideally another right-hander, to steady the stretch run.
So the question becomes simple: can the Rangers find another impact arm without spending much? One name that fits the bill is Baltimore right-hander Yennier Cano.
Cano has put together a strong season for the Orioles, going 2-2 with a 2.21 ERA in 48 games. He has struck out 31 and walked eight across 36.2 innings, and opponents are batting just .199 against him. After a rough 2025, he looks much closer to the 2023 version that went 1-4 with a 2.11 ERA.
He may not check every box Texas typically wants, but he checks two of the biggest ones in a big way. His 4.8% walk rate ranks in the 96th percentile in Major League Baseball, per Statcast, and his 65.1% ground-ball rate sits in the 100th percentile. Put another way, nobody is doing a better job of forcing grounders.
That matters for a place like Globe Life Field, where Cano’s sinker-split finger mix could play extremely well. The pitch pairing is built to create ground balls and keep hard contact in check, which is exactly the kind of skill set the Rangers have been targeting.
If Texas were able to land Cano, it would give the club three quality right-handed setup options once Junis is back, alongside Silseth. It would also allow the Rangers to send some of their rookies back to Triple-A and keep them ready as depth. Just as important, Cano would still leave the door open for another reliever addition, since he is arbitration-eligible next season and not a free agent until 2029.
The Rangers have already shown they can make a useful bullpen move without paying a huge price. Cano looks like the kind of arm that could quietly change the shape of their late-season outlook.
In Other News...
Rangers Deadline Buzz Suddenly Points To Another Outfield Bat
With the deadline approaching, the Dodgers have become a team to watch for outfield movement, and Alex Call has surfaced as a name drawing attention around the league. He has put together a modest season at the plate, but his appeal goes beyond the numbers, especially for clubs looking for a steady bat and some roster flexibility as July gives way to the final push before the cutoff.
The intrigue here is less about Calls production than about where he fits in Los Angeles bigger picture. The Dodgers have enough healthy outfield pieces to make his spot feel crowded, and if they decide to move him, it would be part of a broader effort to help elsewhere in the organization. For teams like Texas, the question is whether that kind of availability turns a secondary target into a real deadline option. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers May Not Be Done After O'Hoppe Move For One Big Reason
The Rangers catching picture changed again when they landed Logan OHoppe from the Angels and sent him to Round Rock, but the move may not be the last word at the position. With the trade deadline still shaping the roster, Texas is also looking for ways to shore up first base depth, and that search has pushed another familiar type of target into the conversation.
Miami has made Liam Hicks available, and the Rangers are reportedly interested in the catcher-first baseman because he can help in more than one spot. Hicks has been one of the Marlins better bats this season while splitting time behind the plate, at first base and at designated hitter, giving Texas a possible answer to a couple of depth questions at once if it decides OHoppe was only part of the plan. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face One Deadline Dilemma As Chris Young Keeps Shopping
With one of the American League Wests tightest margins still in play, the Rangers are not acting like a team that feels finished at the deadline. They have already addressed two obvious needs by adding to the bullpen and behind the plate, but president of baseball operations Chris Young has made it clear the club is still open to more moves if the right fit shows up before the clock runs out.
That leaves Texas weighing whether to keep chasing pitching depth or add another bat that can help in a few different spots. The names being floated all come with different levels of control and financial commitment, which is exactly the kind of detail that can shape a late-July decision for a contender trying to protect a slim division lead without boxing itself in for the long term. [Read more 🡒]