It has been a productive offseason already for the Texas Rangers, flipping Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo and signing catcher Danny Jansen. The Rangers are just a couple years removed from capturing the World Series and would sure love to contend again. The American League is increasingly loaded up top, but this team still has plenty of talent.
That said, Texas is clearly willing to shuffle the deck and shed a bit of salary. That has led to Corey Seager's name popping up in trade rumors. It's hard to imagine Seager actually changing teams — he's under contract through 2031 at $31.5 million annually — but if the right package presents itself, Texas will certainly entertain it.
What should the Rangers look for in a Corey Seager trade?
Texas finished with the best ERA in baseball last season, with Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi refusing to show their age. Still, the Rangers could use a more dependable No. 5 starter than Kumar Rocker, who has fallen short of expectations in early MLB samples. Bullpen depth would also be a plus, even after re-signing Chris Martin. The Rangers will almost certainly look for pitching depth in any return for their best position player.
Josh Jung and Jake Burger both struggled for the majority of last season as well, meaning the Rangers need help at the corner infield spots. Trades of this variety typically focus more on long-term prospect capital than immediate MLB upgrades, but the Rangers should be able to negotiate a robust return. Finding a more consistent source of pop at the corners would meaningfully elevate Texas' lineup, even beyond the boost Nimmo is sure to provide.
In the grand scheme of things, this would be an effort for Texas to get younger. The Semien-Nimmo swap featured two fading stars in their mid-30s. The Rangers' pitching stalwarts are on their last legs. Seager remains elite, but he's 31 and he hasn't played in 150-plus games since 2022. Texas can promote balance and lean into a youth movement, led by the likes of Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter, by parlaying Seager's waning prime into multiple future cornerstones.
These teams might be willing to play ball with Texas GM Chris Young.
Which teams could be interested in Corey Seager?
Boston Red Sox
Alex Bregman is a free agent, meaning the Boston Red Sox could be in the market for a new infield bat. Seager does not fit neatly at third base, but the Red Sox can move Trevor Story to second and plant Marcelo Mayer at the hot corner. Manager Alex Cora has a ton of flexibility. Seager gives Boston a straight upgrade over Bregman and another proven winner to anchor the top of the lineup behind future MVP candidate Roman Anthony.
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers made a strong push to sign the aforementioned Bregman last winter, so while Seager's contract probably falls outside Detroit's comfort zone, they at least merit a dark horse mention. The Tigers are equipped with a lights-out pitching staff and arguably the best manager in MLB, A.J. Hinch, who consistently gets the most out of his roster. Still, Detroit's lack of bankable, everyday power bats has proven costly in the postseason. Seager can anchor the top of the lineup, giving the Tigers new life in a wide-open AL Central.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners lost Jorge Polanco to the Mets and could lose Eugenio Suárez next, as his market will heat up once Bregman, Kazuma Okamoto and other top free agent infielders put pen on paper. That's a lot of power suddenly absent from the Mariners' lineup. Seager is a more than adequate upgrade, even if it requires bumping J.P. Crawford to second base (an overdue change, some might argue). The five-man run of Seager, Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena would rank among the scariest in MLB.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates offered four years, $120 million to Kyle Schwarber, the sort of healthy AAV that inspires confidence even in a relentlessly pessimistic fanbase. Would the Pirates actually take on six years of Corey Seager at $31.5 million per? Probably not, to be honest, but Pittsburgh wants to increase its payroll and starting give Paul Skenes a team he can win with. Seager can dramatically change the culture in Pittsburgh and start putting the Buccos back on the map.
New York Yankees
The middle infield experience with Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm Jr. was a real roller coaster last season. The New York Yankees could envision Seager as a straight upgrade over Volpe, or the Yanks might trade Chisholm on an expiring contract and bump Volpe to second base, where he's out of the defensive limelight. Either way, using Seager to protect Aaron Judge (or vice versa) is an extremely appealing concept, especially if the Yankees lose Cody Bellinger in free agency.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly "kicking the tires" on Alex Bregman, which signals a potential desire to upgrade the infield depth chart in advance of an increasingly probable Ketel Marte trade. Seager's contract lines up with what Bregman is projected to receive on the open market, but he's a materially better player. The D-backs might need to bump Geraldo Perdomo to second or third to clear Seager's spot at shortstop, but that's a small price to pay. Arizona has more than enough talent in this scenario to compete in the NL, even with a Marte trade.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers could use a middle infield upgrade opposite Mookie Betts. This would be real MLB apocalypse stuff, but the Dodgers don't shy away from substantial long-term investments and are connected to premium free agents like Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker for a reason. Betts can make the simple switch to second base, giving the Dodgers a new source of protection behind Shohei Ohtani and one of the best defensive SS-2B combos in the sport. The rich get richer and so forth.
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels have fallen short of expectations relative to their payroll for damn near a decade at this point. Kurt Suzuki signed a rare, one-year "prove it" deal as manager, which means there is once again pressure to win in Anaheim — and to turn that corner quickly. Pairing Seager with a healthy Mike Trout in the DH hole can certainly move the Angels in a positive direction. Moving Zach Neto to second base hurts a little given his age and long-term value, but it's probably a better position for him.
Which team can offer Rangers the best trade package for Corey Seager?
Boston has spent its offseason compiling a surplus of starting pitching. That happens to coincide with a well-documented outfield logjam and a wealth of infield talent in the pipeline, to the point of excess. In short: Boston almost needs to consolidate assets and push a few chips in via trade, especially if Bregman walks. Marte is probably the favorite in Red Sox circles due to his more favorable contract, but Seager offers a better clubhouse reputation and a stellar postseason track record.
As such, the Red Sox need to seriously consider their options. Texas can receive a nice haul in return. Franklin Arias, Boston's No. 1 prospect, could be MLB-ready within the next couple years, but he might not have a spot in Beantown. The Rangers can accelerate his timeline and peg Arias as the long-term successor to Seager's dominion at shortstop.
Texas also receives one of Boston's myriad controllable pitchers in 23-year-old lefty Payton Tolle. Tolle is a mean you-know-what and his fastball is a grade-A weapon. If he can command his secondary pitches and become more comfortable in the MLB pressure-cooker, he's a potential regular starter for Texas in 2026. Righty Yordanny Monegro is less acclaimed in Boston's pipeline, but the 23-year-old is still tracking toward his MLB debut within the next couple seasons — whether it's as a back-end starter or a long reliever.
To round out their return package, Texas receives Triston Casas. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound power bat struggled last season, posting a .182 average and 62 OPS+ before a knee injury ended his campaign. But, he's only 25 and posted an OPS+ north of 120 in back-to-back years prior to last season's disaster. So there's hope, and he's a worthy competitor for Jake Burger's spot in spring training. Plus, he has Minor League options, so there's flexibility.