MLB Trade Rumors: 5 players Rangers should acquire

4. Brandon Maurer/Brad Hand, RP, Padres

Another pair of relievers that the Rangers might target is San Diego duo Brandon Maurer and Brad Hand. The Padres are in an even bigger tear down mode than the White Sox, and have reportedly already signaled to teams they are “open for business” on Hand.

Hand would give the Rangers a third southpaw in the bullpen, unless Dario Alvarez or Alex Claudio was part of a return package. So far this season, Hand has a 2.00 ERA and 2.94 FIP with 35 strikeouts in 27.0 innings across 23 appearances. He has allowed 17 hits and 11 walks, and has held left-handed hitters to a .143 batting average.

In his second season in San Diego, Hand has primarily worked the seventh and eighth inning through the first six weeks of the season, but picked up saves in back-to-back games May 24-25 while pitching the ninth.

Maurer has been the primary closer for the Padres this year after saving 13 games last season. However, Maurer has struggled thus far in 2017. The 27-year-old right-hander has a 6.63 ERA, but just a 2.60 FIP, which indicates he has been far better than that ugly ERA would indicate. Maurer has allowed 22 hits, but just four walks and has struck out 23 hitters in 19 innings across 20 appearances this season. He has five saves in seven opportunities.

Both Hand and Maurer have two years of arbitration remaining after 2017, which adds to their value. Both would likely begin as seventh or eighth inning options for the Rangers if the two teams were to come to terms on a trade.