The Texas Rangers have already made one move to help the bullpen and catching mix, but they may not be finished. With their American League West lead down to one game entering Friday’s action, president of baseball operations Chris Young said Thursday in a Zoom call that the club will stay open-minded about more deals.
The catch, of course, is money. Texas is working within a payroll budget, which narrows the field as the deadline approaches.
That leaves the Rangers shopping for fits, not just names. And if they do add again, the target is likely to be a player who helps in more than one way without pushing the financial picture too far.
One possibility is Drew Anderson, a right-hander the Detroit Tigers could make available if they continue trending toward sellers. Anderson isn’t in the same tier as the starters drawing the biggest attention, Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, but he could still bring value as another high-leverage arm.
The 32-year-old returned to the United States after four years in the KBO and has put together a 4-4 record with a 4.33 ERA in 39 games. The strikeout numbers stand out: 76 punchouts in 62.1 innings.
His chase, whiff and strikeout rates resemble what Texas brought in with Chase Silseth on Wednesday. The Rangers would be responsible for the rest of Anderson’s $7 million this year, and they could decline his team option in 2027.
Another name that fits the bullpen conversation is Tanner Scott’s former Rangers teammate Andrew King. Texas had King from 2020-23 before he was included in the trade with St.
Louis for Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton at the deadline. He has bounced around since then, but this season he has become one of Miami’s better bullpen options.
In 42 games, the left-hander is 6-2 with a 2.53 ERA, along with 31 strikeouts and 12 walks. Opponents are batting just .161 against him.
His chase and ground-ball rates fit well at Globe Life Field, and he would also give the Rangers a useful complement to the left-handers already in the mix. Financially, he is manageable: Texas would only owe the rest of his $1.5 million salary, and he is arbitration-eligible next season.
If the Rangers want a right-handed bat who can move around the field, they have a couple of different paths. Logan O’Hoppe is right-handed, but he is headed to Triple-A for now, so he does not solve the immediate need.
That is where Travis Call comes in. He can handle all three outfield spots and is hitting .246/.355/.314 with one home run and 16 RBI.
His value is tied to his production against left-handed pitching, which matters for a Rangers team that has had some trouble in that area this season. Call is making $1.6 million this year, is under team control until 2030 and is eligible for arbitration next year.
The most versatile option on the board may be Elehuris Montero Castro. He can play both infield and outfield, and he is one of several Rockies expected to be available before the deadline.
Castro is hitting .259/.330/.405 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI, and this is his third straight season with at least 10 homers. He sits last on this list mainly because of the contract.
He is in the first year of a two-year deal worth $12.8 million with no opt-out, which means Texas would be taking on more money now and likely into 2027 unless it later moved him. That also means the return package to get him would be higher than what the Rangers sent to the Angels earlier this week.
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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 🡒]
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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 🡒]