The Texas Rangers may be sitting 2.5 games out in the AL West, but the way this stretch has gone, the deadline picture has changed fast. They entered Monday at 55-57, then dropped their fifth straight game and watched the Astros keep pulling away over the last 10 games.
That puts Jacob deGrom right in the middle of the conversation. He’s the kind of name that can still move the needle in trade talks, even with the warning signs attached.
He just turned 38, and the mileage on his arm tells its own story. From 2017-19, he made 30-plus starts in each season.
Since then, his start totals have been 12, 15, 11, 6, 3, 30, and 21. He’s also had two Tommy John surgeries in his professional career.
The performance this year hasn’t helped quiet the noise. deGrom’s 3.96 ERA would be the worst of his major-league career, and he’s 7-7 with a 1.6 WAR. Even so, the name still carries weight, and MLB.com reported the Rangers are willing to talk.
“The Rangers are open to discussing anyone on their roster in the right deal, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand,” MLB.com wrote. “MLB Network insider Joel Sherman reported earlier Monday that the Rangers have been telling teams that none of their players are off-limits.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal has heard the same, reporting that “virtually everyone on their roster is in play.” If they do make any trades, they are expected to target controllable starting pitching.
One possible landing spot is Atlanta. The Braves are in the thick of the National League pennant race and have grabbed control of the NL East while the Phillies have faded. Rosenthal also reported that deGrom may be open to it, noting that it is “not out of the question” for him to waive his clause for a team closer to his Florida home - “like the Braves, perhaps.”
That said, any team chasing him has to weigh the risk carefully. deGrom admitted his hip/glute area ached during his most recent start, according to dallasnews.com. He didn’t hide behind the injury.
“It was just a bad job by me,” deGrom said. “We lost this game because I wasn't able to go out there and execute and make pitches when I needed to.
That’s on me. And I’ve had to say that too many times this year.
It’s annoying and frustrating.”
The Rangers, though, still sound like a club that believes there’s a run left in them. Manager Skip Schumaker pointed to the group getting healthy and said the team has seen this kind of push before.
“We’re about to get fully healthy, and we haven’t been there yet,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “If I haven't seen this team make a run before, then I wouldn't think it could happen.
But I've seen it, and that was without some of our guys being fully healthy. We're about to get fully healthy, and I think that is where you find out who you are.
“I just feel really good about the group of guys in there, and I think everyone believes they can do it.”
Even with that optimism, the logic of a deGrom deal is hard to ignore. The Rangers could still get something back for a pitcher whose value is tied as much to reputation as recent production. If the return is modest, even one prospect could be worth it.
A name floated as a fit is Triple-A right-hander Cedric De Grandpre. MLB.com described him as a pitcher the Braves have kept in the starter track because of a four-pitch mix.
His fastball sits around 95 mph and can touch 97, and his slider has become his main secondary pitch. He also mixes in a low-80s curve and an upper-80s changeup.
“Since coming back from elbow surgery, De Grandpre hasn't been in the zone as consistently, though he's shown swing-and-miss stuff at every level of the Minors. He got to Triple-A for the first time in July 2026 as a starter, though it's possible he breaks through in a relief role, where the fastball-breaking ball combination could play up.”
That kind of profile gives Atlanta flexibility, and it’s exactly why a deal built around deGrom makes sense for both sides.
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Rangers Bullpen Shakeup Puts One Veteran In A Brutal Spot
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Now the club has only a short window to find a trade partner, with the afternoon deadline looming before Martin likely clears waivers and can choose free agency. The timing underscores how unsettled the bullpen picture remains in Texas, especially with the front office still weighing outside interest in other relievers after the recent losses. [Read more 🡒]