3 pitchers Rangers need in the rotation after whiffing on Dylan Cease trade
By Curt Bishop
Dylan Cease is headed to the San Diego Padres.
Late on Wednesday, the Padres swung a deal for the former Chicago White Sox ace and added significant upside to their rotation.
Teams such as the Texas Rangers weren't so lucky. They were in on Cease, but obviously didn't meet the White Sox asking price.
Still, Texas is in need of a frontline starting pitcher. Their best option at the moment is Nathan Eovaldi, who is solid but not an ace. With so many starters on the injured list including Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle, here are three more starters they should target.
3. Shane Bieber can fill the Rangers void for now
The Cleveland Guardians are not expected to be a strong contender in 2024, especially after finishing 10 games below .500 last year.
Cleveland also lost Terry Francona, who retired at the end of the season.
Early in the offseason, the Guardians appeared to be open to trading Shane Bieber. If they still are looking to deal him, the Rangers could be a perfect fit for the right-hander.
The former Cy Young had an uncharacteristic season, going 6-6 with a 3.80 ERA in 2023 while also missing significant time with right elbow inflammation. That is of course something that the Rangers will need to keep an eye on if they decide to trade for him.
But when Bieber is healthy, he can be one of the best pitchers in all of baseball and he could certainly profile as the Rangers ace.
The 28-year-old is entering the final year of his contract with the Guardians, so it may not take too much for the Rangers to swing a deal for him, and certainly not quite what the Padres had to give up in order to acquire Cease.
Bieber would be the ideal pitcher to pivot to after missing out on Cease.