General Manager: Texas Rangers Deserve Right to Win Championship
Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young's to-do list has grown entering the final days of July. Not only his evaluating the status of the current roster, but also evaluating the talent that could be coming to Arlington come Aug.1 at the league's trade deadline.
Being a GM around this time is a balancing act. One can't be too in love with the roster and potential upside to stand idle amid a postseason race, but they also can't sell the farm to bring in a rental option destined for free agency following the Fall Classic.
"There are emotional attachments," Young said on 105.3 The Fan Monday. "That said, this team deserves the right to try and win a championship. That's the way the front office is operating. We want to do it in a responsible manner, but we also recognize that where we've been the past six years, this has been a lot of fun."
Sitting two games above in-state rival Houston for the AL West division title going into Tuesday, the Rangers know they must be buyers at the deadline to maintain the pennant. Adding bullpen depth is essential. Bringing in a premier bat to hit the middle of the lineup could be the difference between an early playoff exit and a shot at hoisting up the World Series trophy at Globe Life Park in three-plus months.
Injuries also play a factor in major decisions. Right now, the Rangers are without All-Star shortstop Corey Seager (thumb) and outfielder Adolis Garcia (hand), with the former being on the 10-day IL. Ace Nathan Eovaldi missed Monday's start in the rotation due to rest.
"Corey was sore yesterday, but it's making progress," Young said. "We're optimistic he'll be close to that 10-day period, though it might be a little longer. He may be ready right after the 10-day mark. Time will tell, but I think we dodged a bullet big there."
Seagar and Garcia are staples to the clubhouse and vital assets to the team's postseason season. Seager leads all shortstops in doubles (29) while posting a .350/.413/.631 slash line. Garcia is tied for the league lead in RBI (80) while ranking top 10 in home runs (24) with a .847 OPS.
Despite boasting one league's most potent offenses, Texas could benefit from adding a bat to add more offensive production. Versatility could be a criterion needed for Young to pull the trigger due to the unknown of injuries in the future, meaning players like Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger — who has experience at first base — or Pittsburgh Pirates' do-it-all Iron Man Andrew McCutchen — a nuanced designated hitter — could be at the top of the list.
Roster control and rental purposes could also factor into the decision. Sure, the Rangers could swing big and target AL MVP front-runner Shohei Ohtani if the Los Angeles Angels make him available, but the asking price is astronomical even for clubs outside the division.
It'll be a rich asking price to acquire a frontline starter like Chicago White Sox Dylan Cease, but the former AL Cy Young runner-up has two more years of control before he hits free agency in 2025.
"We try to strategically plan out over the next two or three years what our team will look like, what are our financial commitments and obligations, what are the areas that we're going to be strong, what are the areas we're going to need to spend whether in trades or free agency and how do we sustain that over the long period of time," Young said.
After losing 10-9 to Houston at Minute Maid Park Monday, the Rangers need to begin looking outside the inner circle for help. Young is set to have several sleepless nights ahead, but it could lead to him to sweet victory arriving on Globe Life Park's doorstep come the season's end.
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