Fansided

Breaking down potential landing spots for Marcell Ozuna

By Joshua Sadlock

ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 12: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after striking out swinging during the first inning of Game 2 of the NLCS between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Saturday, October 12, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 12: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after striking out swinging during the first inning of Game 2 of the NLCS between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Saturday, October 12, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – JULY 28: Nomar Mazara #30, Delino DeShields #3 and Asdrubal Cabrera #14 of the Texas Rangers relax in the dugout prior to the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 28, 2019 in Oakland, California. The Athletics defeated the Rangers 6-5. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – JULY 28: Nomar Mazara #30, Delino DeShields #3 and Asdrubal Cabrera #14 of the Texas Rangers relax in the dugout prior to the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 28, 2019 in Oakland, California. The Athletics defeated the Rangers 6-5. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images) /

2. Texas Rangers

The Rangers are moving into a new ballpark in 2020, so that means they’ll be looking to generate enough buzz this offseason to ensure that fans are piling through the turnstiles all year. A new park generally gives a team an attendance boost in the first year, but the Rangers would benefit even more by fielding a winning team for the first time since 2016. They were as many as four games over .500 in early August last year before fading to a 78-84 record.

If the Rangers hope to topple Houston or Oakland in the AL West, they’ll need to make several splashy acquisitions this winter. Their rotation is at least two starters short behind Mike Minor and Lance Lynn, the bullpen is a mess and the lineup was only middling last year with Joey Gallo injured for much of the year and Nomar Mazara again failing to take the next step.

Signing Kyle Gibson to a three-year deal for $30 million is hardly going to have the Astros quaking in their boots. The Rangers need to make at least one more big deal before next season rolls around. They’re making an early aggressive push for All-Star third baseman Anthony Rendon and also have interest in Josh Donaldson.

Related Story. Which MLB teams have the best chance to sign Josh Donaldson. light

Bringing Rendon home to Texas appears to be the Rangers top priority this winter, but it’s a longshot that he will take a chance on them with equal offers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals likely to materialize. Donaldson is certainly in the team’s financial wheelhouse, but a deal for him would not completely break the bank. The Rangers could look to flip Mazara and tap into any perceived upside left in the 24-year-old and then sign Ozuna.

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