ST. LOUIS — It’s been a tough 24 hours for the Texas Rangers before the trade deadline.
I bought a catcher. I sold a pitcher.
What to make of all this?
It’s also a bit confusing for the person in the middle.
“Honestly, I don’t know how to answer that question,” relief pitcher David Robertson, who was traded thrice at the deadline, said Monday after surviving a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Rangers’ 6-3 win over St. Louis. “Ask me if I’ll still be here after 5 p.m. on Tuesday.”
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Yes, Robertson would be right. The Rangers are 3.5 games behind in the American League West as the deadline looms. They traded Michael Lorenzen on Monday because they’re short on starting pitchers. The Rangers remain in the running as deadline buyers.
Just how much they can afford is a bit of a mystery right now. They don’t appear willing to add a lot to their payroll, like they did last year when they acquired Max Scherzer, Jordan Montgomery, Chris Stratton and Austin Hedges, and they don’t have the assets to trade away like they did a year ago when they stripped away their prospect pool and went all in.
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Still, the Rangers would like to acquire another hitter. He doesn’t need to be a game-changing hitter, but they would like to shore up the DH position, which is one of the worst performing in MLB. The good news is that when you’re that bad, the bar doesn’t have to be that high to improve. The Rangers want someone who can hit against right-handed pitching and play an outfield position if necessary.
There are options out there, below are some that are still available and potentially affordable for people.
Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, San Francisco: He’ll make $7.9 million this year and has about $2.4 million remaining on his contract. The left-handed hitter, grandson of Boston Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, has a .762 OPS in 234 at-bats against right-handed pitchers this season. Rangers officials also know Yastrzemski to some extent. He played for coach Bruce Bochy in San Francisco in 2019 and also under offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker. He would be a much more cost-effective option than former Rangers free agent target Michael Conforto (also with the Giants). Conforto has $6 million remaining on his salary this year.
Outfielder Jake Bauers, Milwaukee: A left-handed hitter, Bauers has a .736 OPS against right-handed hitters this season. He’s likely the least financially costly, especially if finances are a concern, with about $450,000 remaining on his $1.35 million salary in 2024. He’s arbitration-eligible for two more years, though, so the cost in terms of prospect capital could be higher.
Infielder Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay: The Rays have been selling players at a furious pace this past week, and Diaz, who finally returned to the lineup over the weekend after missing three weeks, was considered a front-runner at one point. But Diaz is a right-handed hitter with a .673 OPS against right-handed pitchers, which isn’t ideal. Diaz’s contract is the same as Yastrzemski’s, but he’s worth $10 million in 2025 with an option for 2026. There were rumors that Diaz’s asking price was high, and that may be true. It’s also a seller’s market. But teams looking to move players will usually lower their price and get a deal done in the hours before the deadline if it’s their top priority.
We’ll be bringing you the latest deadline updates, takeaways and hot takes on sport all day long.
Trade Deadline Updates
July 29: The AL West arms race continues as the Astros acquire starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi from the Blue Jays on Monday night. Kikuchi has struggled this season with a 4.75 ERA in 22 starts, but Houston still sent three prospects to Toronto to acquire the 33-year-old, who has a 7.75 ERA in his past eight starts. The Astros will look to rebuild Kikuchi and bolster their starting rotation.
July 29: The Mariners continued their offensive revamp with the trade deadline acquisition of Justin Turner. Seattle acquired the 39-year-old Turner from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday afternoon. He has hit six home runs with a .720 OPS so far this season, primarily as a designated hitter.
July 29: Texas addressed their starting rotation gridlock by trading Michael Lorenzen to the Kansas City Royals. The Rangers signed Lorenzen to a one-year contract in March. With Tyler Mahr, Cody Bradford and Jacob deGrom scheduled to return to the pitching staff, Texas was forced to make a move. The Rangers acquired a minor league left-handed pitcher named Walter Pennington in the trade. Lorenzen finished his tenure with Texas with a 3.81 ERA in 101 2/3 innings, but had a 5.97 ERA in his final seven starts with the team. Pennington has a 2.26 ERA in 59 2/3 innings in Triple-A this year.
Read the full transaction here.
July 28: The Rangers bolster their catching staff, acquiring Carson Kelly from the Detroit Tigers. The trade for the 30-year-old was Texas’ first of the season. The Rangers also traded minor leaguers Liam Hicks and Tyler Owens to Detroit in the deal. Kelly has a .716 OPS and ranks eighth among AL catchers with 1.7 WAR in 60 games this season, according to FanGraphs. He’s a better offensive player than Andrew Knizner and should ease the strain on Jonah Heim’s shoulder.
Read the full transaction here.
July 26: The Rangers’ fellow American League West division underdogs scrambled to bolster their struggling offense. The Seattle Mariners acquired outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for two minor leaguers, including Lovejoy’s former star Aidan Smith. Arozarena is playing the worst of his career this season but has improved considerably over the past two months. He was the American League’s starting left fielder in last summer’s All-Star Game in Seattle.
Top Stories
— Project Runway: Inside the Texas Rangers’ offensive powerhouse plan
— The Texas Rangers are reportedly interested in the two Rays All-Stars to bolster their offense.
— The Texas Rangers are on a roll and are now buyers, so which hitters will be options at the deadline?
— The Texas Rangers are reportedly likely buyers at next week’s trade deadline.
— The Texas Rangers are on a roll and their path ahead of the trade deadline is clear:
The Astros bolster their starting rotation by acquiring Yusei Kikuchi from the Blue Jays in a trade. The Mariners continue their offensive quest, acquiring Justin Turner from the Blue Jays.
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