The Rangers spent Tuesday morning with a lot of noise around them and very little actual movement to show for it.
That was the story at the deadline, too. Jeff Wilson reported there had been plenty of buzz about how Texas would handle things, only for the club to end up doing almost nothing - a result that, in his telling, wasn’t exactly a shock. Evan Grant identified the biggest move as sending Josh Smith to a selling Toronto team in exchange for left-handed pitcher Adam Macko.
There was also the matter of Jacob deGrom, who Kennedi Landry reported could have been traded but stayed put because of his no-trade clause. Grant added that deGrom wants to win with the Rangers because he signed with the Rangers to win with the Rangers.
Ken Rosenthal wrote that deGrom could have become an Atlanta Brave and gained like 15 games in the standings, but he believes in these Austin Wynns Rangers. That belief was expressed before the Rangers committed five errors while nearly getting shut out in their sixth consecutive loss. Don’t forget, deGrom: You’re here forever.
On the roster front, Shawn McFarland noted that Texas essentially traded activating Chris Martin from the injured list for designating him for assignment.
And there was at least one bit of pitching good news, with Landry reporting that Jordan Montgomery threw five shutout innings in his latest rehab outing, which means we can pretend that the Rangers traded for Jordan Montgomery at the deadline.
In Other News...
Rangers Just Sent A Telling Signal About Cody Freeman
Cody Freeman is back on the Rangers roster in a technical sense, but the move Thursday said more about where he is in his recovery than about any immediate plans in Arlington. Texas activated Freeman from the injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Round Rock, keeping him on the move after a rehab assignment as he works his way back into game shape.
The Rangers still have reason to be interested in him beyond the rehab stage. Freemans versatility gives him a path to matter later in the season if the roster opens up or a need develops, and his ability to handle several spots is part of what makes him such an intriguing depth piece. For now, though, the next step is simply getting him back on the field and letting the organization see how his comeback holds up. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Quiet Deadline Just Fueled A Seager And Bullpen Debate
The Rangers low-key approach at the Aug. 3 deadline left plenty of room for questions, especially after they chose not to move Corey Seager despite the shortstops injury history and recent struggles at the plate. For a club trying to stay relevant in the stretch run, keeping a high-profile player in place while standing pat elsewhere felt less like a statement of confidence than a reminder of how complicated this roster can be.
Texas also passed on adding the right-handed bullpen help many around the team expected, leaving a relief corps that has been a weak spot without the kind of deadline reinforcement that can change a season. The Rangers trade options were already limited by no-trade clauses on several key players, so the quiet deadline did not just reflect restraint. It underscored how narrow the clubs path was once the market tightened. [Read more 🡒]