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MLB Trade Rumors: 5 players Rangers should acquire

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Apr 28, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun (8) high fives teammates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun (8) high fives teammates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Texas Rangers have yet to win a World Series title, but current momentum plus a smart deal before the trade deadline could help the club win in 2017.

Never mind the sweep in Boston, or the loss in the season opener in Toronto. The Rangers are still headed in the right direction. The two-time defending American League West champs have fought through injuries and poor performance in April to surge into the Wild Card race entering the quarter point of the 2017 season.

The Rangers are far from perfect, but they don’t have very many gaping holes in the roster either. Heading into the weekend series with the Blue Jays, Texas had a .237 batting average that ranked among the lowest in the AL. However, the Rangers ranked third in the AL in runs scored (227) and fifth in home runs (65). Mike Napoli and Joey Gallo are each hitting below .200, but both also have double-digit home runs.

The bullpen has been bad (Texas’ 5.23 bullpen ERA ranks last in the AL and is second worst in the majors), but the club ranks middle of the pack in team ERA (4.10) and defense (0.6, according to FanGraphs’ overall “Def” metric). Also, as Ben Lindbergh pointed out at The Ringer earlier in the week, catcher Jonathan Lucroy has taken a huge step back in his framing metrics. However, there’s hope the veteran backstop can bounce back.

Despite the expected boost Texas will get when Adrian Beltre, Carlos Gomez, Chi Chi Gonzalez and Tyson Ross and Cole Hamels return from the disabled list, improvements could still be made. With an eye on a third straight division title, and the first ever World Series championship for the franchise, we explore five trades the Rangers should make.

Apr 12, 2017; Anaheim, CA, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Jurickson Profar (19) dives back after over running first base in the fifth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2017; Anaheim, CA, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Jurickson Profar (19) dives back after over running first base in the fifth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Rangers Trade Needs and Assets

Needs

Left field

The Rangers began the season with former top prospect (and infielder) Jurickson Profar in left field. After hitting .135/.289/.135 in 15 games, Profar was sent to the minors (again). Since, Delino DeShields, Jr. has seen the majority of playing time in left, though Nomar Mazara and Ryan Rua have both played there as well.

DeShields has some exciting qualities, most notably his speed, and has also played well defensively as well (he has an 11.8 Def rating so far, according to FanGraphs). Gallo could potentially play some left field once Beltre is back, but he hasn’t played in the outfield since 2015. Also, worth noting, Gomez will be a free agent after the 2017 season and adding a left fielder could soften the blow of replacing Gomez.

Outfield Depth

If the Rangers don’t spring for a new full-time left fielder, which would then push DeShields into a more fitting role as a fourth outfielder, pinch runner and defensive replacement, adding someone to fit that role would make sense. Jared Hoying has seven hits in seven games since being promoted in mid-May and will move into a bench role when Gomez returns, but Texas could benefit from adding an established veteran outfielder to the mix.

Relief Depth

There’s no benefit in sugarcoating it: the Rangers were horrible in relief early in the season. That terrible start, highlighted by Sam Dyson’s 21.94 ERA in seven appearances before he was removed from the closer’s role, has weighed down a unit whose ERA ranks last in the AL. Matt Bush has been pretty good since taking over the ninth inning, Keone Kela is talented, and Dyson’s ERA is slowing coming down, but the bullpen could use a boost.

Assets

Baseball Prospectus Organizational Talent Ranking: 16

MLB.com Top 100 Prospects: 2

FanGraphs Top 10 Prospects (FV)

  • Leodys Tavares, CF (55)
  • Yohander Mendez, LHP (55)
  • Arial Jurado, RHP (50)
  • Cole Ragans, LHP (50)
  • Ronald Guzman, 1B (45)
  • Jose Trevino, C (45)
  • Joe Palumbo, LHP (45)
  • Brett Martin, LHP (45)
  • Andy Ibanez, 2B (45)
  • Anderson Tejada (45)

Lefty Yohander Mendez is the closest Rangers prospect to the major leagues, and though he has allowed 12 home runs in 55.1 innings this season in Double-A, the 22-year-old could help the Rangers out of the bullpen this season (he has been a starter in the minors). Of course, his consensus Top-100 talent makes Mendez a valuable trade chip.

Jurado, Guzman and Trevino could be MLB ready by 2018, though the rest of the Top 10 is still in the low minors. Just 18 years old, Tavares is already playing in the full-season Carolina League and is holding his own.

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