The Rangers are at least listening, and that alone has turned this deadline into a tricky one in Arlington.
After a weekend sweep by the Astros pushed Texas to a five-game losing streak, reports surfaced that the club could shift toward selling. That possibility would put names like Jacob deGrom, Joc Pederson and even Corey Seager into play this afternoon, though each comes with the kind of contract complications that make movement difficult.
Still, the Rangers’ stance appears broader than a simple yes-or-no on selling. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that Texas is open to conversations on anyone on the roster. Jon Morosi of The MLB Network said this morning that the Rangers had discussed Nathan Eovaldi, while Jon Heyman of The New York Post added that the team has also taken calls on starter MacKenzie Gore and All-Star closer Jacob Latz.
At the same time, Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports pushed back on the idea that the Rangers are fully committed to a selloff. He reported that Latz is unlikely to be dealt because he is cheaply under contractual control for another four seasons, and wrote that the front office is keeping its options open rather than locking itself into selling.
If Texas does decide to move one of the names being floated, Gore looks like the cleanest path. He’s making $5.6 million and remains under arbitration control for one more season.
The Rangers paid a heavy price to get him from Washington over the winter, sending five prospects - including 2025 No. 12 overall pick Gavin Fien - in the deal. On the field, though, Gore has not delivered the kind of season Texas was hoping for, posting a 4.77 ERA in 23 starts.
Even so, the left-hander still brings plenty to the table. He’s throwing his fastball in the mid-90s, and the strikeout and walk numbers remain strong.
At 27, with plus stuff and the pedigree of a former No. 3 pick, Gore would still draw serious attention. Texas should be able to land a top-100 caliber prospect if it decides to move him.
Eovaldi would be a much tougher conversation. The two-time All-Star is owed $25 million this season, with about $7.4 million left to be paid, and $20 million next year.
He also has $12 million in signing bonuses still due, money Texas would remain on the hook for even in a trade before those payments come due. On top of that, he holds a full no-trade clause.
The 36-year-old right-hander has not had his best year, either. He owns a 4.31 ERA over 127 1/3 innings, and while his fastball is sitting just under 95 mph and his strikeout and walk numbers remain excellent, he has become more vulnerable to the home run ball. Teams would still see him as a playoff starter, but the salary and no-trade protection make any deal far more complicated.
And that’s the tension here: the Rangers may be open-minded, but they’re not buried. They’re 2.5 games out in the AL West and were in first place as recently as Friday. That leaves room for them to stay the course, or even to buy a little on the margins with bullpen help and/or a right-handed outfielder.
Texas would like to trim some of its long-term money, but doing that without waving the white flag on 2026 is a delicate line to walk. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic said that if the Rangers do sell, they’d target controllable starting pitching. That would be hard to find unless Texas moves someone like Gore or Latz, or agrees to absorb part of a larger contract.
In Other News...
Rangers Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Trade Deadline Plans
After months of injuries and illness interrupted his season, Josh Smith is moving off the Rangers roster, and the club is making a very specific kind of move as the trade deadline approaches. Texas is sending Smith and pitching prospect Josh Stephan to Toronto in exchange for left-hander Adam Macko, a deal that adds a bullpen arm while subtracting a player who had been part of the 2023 World Series club and won last years American League Silver Slugger as a utility man.
Smith had already been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock, so the writing was on the wall for a player whose value had been built on versatility and steady production. Macko has worked in relief for the Blue Jays this season, going 2-0 with a 4.91 ERA in 22 games, and the trade gives Texas another left-handed option as it continues shaping the roster for the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Trade Deadline Shift Could Mean More Than A Salary Dump
The trade deadline picture in Texas has changed quickly enough to make the rest of the month feel unsettled. The Rangers have moved from a buyers posture to one that looks more like a sellers, with the front office weighing moves that could trim salary while also taking advantage of whatever value the roster still holds. Even with the season still unfolding, the conversations around the club now sound less like a team pushing in and more like one preparing to reframe its next step.
Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore and Jacob Latz are among the names surfacing in those discussions, a sign that the Rangers are at least listening broadly as they gauge the market. The expectation, though, is that the younger core under team control, including Wyatt Langford, Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, remains far more likely to stay put, which leaves plenty of room for the kind of deadline maneuvering that could reshape the roster without fully stripping it down. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Bullpen Shakeup Puts One Veteran In A Brutal Spot
The Rangers bullpen has been in constant motion lately, and the latest move leaves veteran right-hander Chris Martin in a tough spot. Texas activated him from the injured list and then designated him for assignment, a sign of how quickly his season has gone off track amid shoulder issues and uneven performance.
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 🡒]