Texas Rangers trade rumors: Joakim Soria market heating up
By Hayden Kane
Huston Street was acquired by the Los Angeles Angels late on Friday night. With that move in place, one of two American League teams with World Series aspirations has addressed their hole at closer.
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Your move, Detroit Tigers.
With the Tigers already reportedly interested in Texas Rangers’ closer Joakim Soria, it sounds like the trade market for Soria is heating up even more now that Street has been dealt.
Ken Rosenthal reports that the Rangers are getting numerous calls about Soria less than a day after Street was moved to the Angels.
With Street off the market, #Rangers getting numerous inquiries today on Soria. Has same control for ’15 as Street: $7M club option.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 19, 2014
Soria has rebounded beautifully in 2014 after a couple seasons impacted by injury. Re-inserted into the closer’s role full-time, Soria has converted 16 saves with a 2.59 ERA. His strikeouts are up to a 12 K/9 mark and his walks are down.
Not that it is terribly useful to compare him to Street directly, but Soria profiles more as the type of closer teams usually look for: a guy who can miss bats and afford to miss location every now and then. Street has to be so precise and so fine with his pitches that it sometimes comes back to bite him.
So just how much would a team like the Tigers benefit from having a go-to option in the ninth inning? How about a team like the first place Baltimore Orioles? The San Francisco Giants would seem to be a candidate as well. With Street gone, the Rangers now have control of the closer’s market as they field offers for Soria.