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MLB Power Rankings: Every team’s plan of attack before the trade deadline

By Sean Sears

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 14: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Marcus Stroman #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 14, 2019 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 14: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Marcus Stroman #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 14, 2019 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 19: Mike Minor #23 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on July 19, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 19: Mike Minor #23 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on July 19, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

16. Texas Rangers, 50-47, 3rd in the AL West (ranked 14th last week)

The Rangers have yet to pick a direction at the deadline. While they sit just four games back from a Wild Card spot, the team has players like Mike Minor and Lance Lynn having career seasons and could get a massive return dealing either or both of the starters.

Texas general manager Jon Daniels wouldn’t rule out the possibility that Minor gets traded, but with the Rangers moving to a new stadium after this season the team would use marketable players to sell tickets, merchandise, promos, etc. and Minor is one of those guys at the moment.

OF Hunter Pence was recently activated from the IL and was having an excellent season in Texas before getting injured, with a .934 OPS and 15 home runs on the bench. Closer Shawn Kelley has been decent on the backend of the bullpen as well, saving 11 games with a 3.00 ERA, but he doesn’t strike out batters quite like a team would want ideally from their closer. But, the veteran Kelley would be a nice depth piece for a bullpen that has its closer.

15. St. Louis Cardinals, 50-46, 2nd in the NL Central (ranked 17th last week)

Ken Rosenthal reported earlier this week that the Cardinals would be open to trading former starter/current closer Carlos Martinez, which could net St. Louis multiple relievers back in the deal, but doesn’t make much sense since Jordan Hicks is out for the rest of the season. Rosenthal also mentioned Tyler O’Neil and Lane Thomas as possible trade chips — particularly O’Neil, who has been productive in a small sample size but it’s hard to figure what the return would be on him.

The Cardinals are still in the playoff picture, sitting just three games back in the NL Central and only a .5 game our of a Wild Card spot. But the injuries are starting to pile up. St. Louis shut down Jordan Hicks for the season after his UCL tear, C Yadier Molina is once again on the IL and should be out for another two weeks and now 3B Matt Carpenter has hit the IL with a right foot contusion.

If the team starts to slip from contention in the final two weeks of July, the Cardinals could become sellers. But the team needs Paul Goldschmidt to hit like the guy he was for years in Arizona. Otherwise, this team isn’t going anywhere this season.

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