The Rangers have already shown they’re serious about upgrading before Monday’s trade deadline, and the move for right-handed reliever Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O'Hoppe from the Los Angeles Angels for minor leaguer Angel Arredondo on Wednesday was only the first step. Sitting at 55-56 and just 1.5 games out in both the American League West and the final American League Wild Card spot, Texas still looks poised to keep working on the roster.
If the Rangers keep shopping, the cleanest fit is easy to spot: a right-handed hitting outfielder.
That need jumps out because Evan Carter has only five hits in 39 at-bats against southpaws this season. A bat like that could help Texas in a couple of different ways.
It could platoon with Carter and give the lineup more balance, or it could work at designated hitter alongside Joc Pederson if the Rangers want to keep Carter’s glove in the mix. It would also help keep Brandon Nimmo and Wyatt Langford fresher while offering a better defensive option than Alejandro Osuna.
The Mets, meanwhile, have already started selling after sending left-hander A.J. Minter to the Minnesota Twins. That has put two right-handed-hitting outfielders on the radar for Texas: Luis Robert Jr. and Tyrone Taylor.
Robert is the bigger name, but he’s the one the Rangers should steer clear of. Availability is part of the problem - he has played only 34 games this year - and the bat hasn’t been carrying its weight, either.
He hasn’t posted an above-average season at the plate since 2023, and this year he’s hitting just .195/.291/.322. Yes, he’s usually an elite defender and runner, but Texas needs offense more than anything right now.
After July ended, the Rangers ranked 25th in runs scored with 458.
Taylor is a different story.
He’s putting together what might be the strongest offensive season of his career with the Mets. The average and on-base numbers are modest - .239 and .289 - but the power has been real.
Taylor has a .486 slugging percentage with nine home runs and eight doubles in 65 games, and his 112 OPS+ points to a bat that would actually help Texas. He’d also come much cheaper than Robert.
Taylor is making $3.8 million this year and is set to hit free agency this offseason, while Robert is on a $20 million salary this season with a $20 million club option for 2027 and a $2 million buyout.
Taylor’s profile fits what the Rangers need. He owns a .900 OPS against lefties, can handle all three outfield spots at an average level or better, and would bring more pop than rumored target Alex Call of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also lines up well with what another possible target, Lane Thomas, was before he went to the Atlanta Braves.
Texas doesn’t have to swing big to solve this. The Rangers just need the right kind of outfield bat - one that adds offense, gives Skip Schumaker usable matchup flexibility, and doesn’t force the club to overspend. On that front, Taylor checks the boxes.
In Other News...
Rangers Suddenly Face A Trade Deadline Decision Fans Dread
The Rangers slide has turned the trade deadline into a far messier conversation than anyone around Arlington wanted a week ago. A loss to the Astros capped a five-game skid and pushed Texas further behind in the American League West, leaving Chris Young with the kind of evaluation that can change quickly from hopeful to uneasy as July wears on.
Young still has not closed the door on any direction, and that flexibility is part of the tension now hanging over the club. Texas can still sort through buying and selling possibilities, but the recent stretch has made it harder to imagine an aggressive push unless the roster steadies soon, which leaves the front office staring at a deadline decision fans would rather not see become necessary. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Deadline Hunt Focuses On Two Roster Needs Contenders May Resist
As the August 3 trade deadline approaches, the Rangers are digging through a wide market for help, with their eyes on clubs that can address a couple of clear roster needs. Their scouting list has stretched across the Cubs, Braves, Dodgers and Diamondbacks, and the biggest theme is balance: Texas is looking at right-handed relief options, rotation depth and even some outfield and catching possibilities as it tries to improve without overpaying in a sellers market.
Among the names linked to that search are Grant Holmes and a pair of Braves arms in JR Ritchie and AJ Smith-Shawver, while the Dodgers have come up with a mix of established big leaguers and young talent. The Rangers have also checked in on Arizona lefties Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt for bullpen help, but the challenge is obvious at this point in July, contenders are under no obligation to make the kind of deal Texas wants, and the best fit may depend on whether the asking price gets realistic before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]