The Texas Rangers may have spent Sunday making their trade deadline plans a lot harder to read.
A week ago, Texas was sitting on top of the American League West by two games over the Seattle Mariners. Now the picture looks very different after a 7-3 loss to Houston on Sunday capped a rough 1-5 road trip and a five-game losing streak. It was the kind of afternoon that spilled over emotionally, too: manager Skip Schumaker was ejected in one of the more dramatic tirades you’ll see in baseball, and pitching coach Justin Viele was tossed just before him.
That slump comes at a brutal time. After taking three of four from the Mariners in a series that ended last Monday, the Rangers looked like a club ready to act aggressively. President of baseball operations Chris Young seemed to have enough of a reason to buy.
Instead, Texas now returns home at 55-57, sitting 2.5 games behind the Astros, who are 58-55, in the division. That gap may not sound huge, but in a tighter race it can feel like a canyon. With the trade deadline set for 5 p.m. central time, Young has some real choices to make.
Before Sunday’s game, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Rangers’ direction - buy or sell - could hinge on the outcome of that contest. He also noted that Texas hasn’t ruled out anything. That leaves the door open for a modest addition, a more aggressive move, or even a step back that would include dealing players, especially those on expiring contracts.
Young, an ultra-competitive former player who won a World Series ring with the Kansas City Royals in 2015, had already said before the Mariners series that he wanted to give his team every chance to win. The hope seemed to be that Texas had already sent the right signal with that strong series against Seattle. Sunday, though, may have changed the mood.
Now the Rangers may be forced to pause rather than push. This has been an up-and-down team all year, the same club that surged into the All-Star break with one of baseball’s best records since late May before fading in the stretch that led up to Young’s deadline call. If Sunday meant anything, it may be that the cost of upgrading is simply too steep for a team in this spot.
At this point, standing pat looks like the most likely outcome. Given the season Texas has put together, and the way this final road trip unfolded, that might be the cleanest move of all.
In Other News...
Rangers Face A Trade Deadline Choice That Could Define Their Lineup
The Rangers have already dipped into the Angels roster for Chase Silseth and Logan OHoppe, but the bigger question sitting in front of them is how far they want to go in reshaping an offense that still looks like it could use another right-handed bat. With the deadline approaching, Texas is sorting through outfield options with an eye toward fit as much as upside, and the decision could say plenty about how aggressively the club wants to pursue a real lineup upgrade.
Among the names being kicked around from the Mets side, Luis Robert Jr. brings the louder ceiling, but Tyrone Taylor may be the cleaner match for what Texas actually needs. He offers a steadier profile, the flexibility to handle all three outfield spots and a price point that would not force the Rangers to pay for more than they are likely to get, which makes him the sort of target front offices often circle when they are trying to improve without overcommitting. [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 🡒]