So You're Telling Me There's a Chance? MLB Insider Says Texas Rangers No Longer Outright Sellers At Trade Deadline

A couple of factors have put the Texas Rangers in position to make moves that wouldn’t be declaring defeat this season.

Jul 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (23) throws to the plate during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Globe Life Field. / Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas Rangers’ recent surge and the Seattle Mariners’ recent decline may have eliminated the notion that the defending World Series champions would be sellers at the trade deadline.

That is what MLB insider Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic wrote on Wednesday, before the Rangers won their fourth consecutive game, beating the Chicago White Sox, 10-2.

With the victory, the Rangers (50-52) are now just three games back of the Houston Astros in the American League West.

That’s one factor, he wrote. The other is what has happened in Seattle, where the Mariners just lost slugger J.P. Crawford for four weeks due to an injury.

Seattle went 9-19 from June 19 to July 23, blew a 10-game lead in the division, and allowed the Astros to pull into first place by themselves.

Those factors, plus the impending returns of third baseman Josh Jung and outfielder Evan Carter, “…figures to end any possibility of the Texas Rangers becoming an outright seller,” Rosenthal wrote.

Jung is set to begin a rehab assignment later this week while Carter is about a week behind him, per manager Bruce Bochy.

So, what might the Rangers do with their newfound prosperity when it comes to the trade deadline?

Texas has four pitchers returning in the coming weeks from injuries.

Dane Dunning figures to be the soonest, as he is throwing well on a rehab assignment. Cody Bradford is also on a rehab assignment, as is Tyler Mahle, who had Tommy John surgery last year. Jacob deGrom is probably a few weeks away from starting a rehab stint after his Tommy John surgery last year.

The return of those pitchers, Rosenthal says, “…might enable them to trade a starting pitcher.”

To what end? He wrote that the Rangers would like to add another bat or a reliver with some level of future team control.

Rosenthal identified one pitcher that could be expendable in that scenario — Michael Lorenzen.

The right-hander signed a one-year deal with Texas just before the season started and has been a solid starter for the Rangers all season. He is 5-5 with a 3.53 ERA and he has 73 strikeouts and 43 walks in 97 innings.

His season, along with his impending free agency, might make him a desired trade piece. Last year the Detroit Tigers traded him at the deadline to Philadelphia for second base prospect Hao-Yu Lee.

The Rangers would likely be looking for something that could help them now as they make a push to try and make the playoffs.