Texas Rangers Trade Deadline Proposals

The Rangers enter play today 7.0 games out of first in the AL West and 6.5 back in the wild card with 6 teams in front of them.

There is 13 days until the trade deadline.  Where should the Rangers go?

There has been debate if the Rangers should be buyers or sellers at the deadline?

The argument to buy is the fact that the AL West is not a power division with the Astros falling like a rock and the Angels on a hot streak atop the division now just 9 games over .500.

However this team needs to be sellers at the deadline, here is why.

They don't have the bullpen to confidently shut opponents down in crunch time with their extreme inexperience.  Realistically, the team has one reliever they can give the ball to with a lead against any team and feel he can get the job done.

They are extremely vulnerable to quality left handed starting pitching.  The offense is completely unable to generate any offense against any southpaw and any contender will load up on lefties against them even if it isn't their best pitcher.

They don't have any help coming from the minor leagues that can balance out the lineup nor the budget to add any quality right handed hitters in the offseason when the price for them was at least $10 million annually (Michael Cuddyer got $21 million over 2 years by Mets).  The top hitting prospects are Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro and Lewis Brinson with only the latter two as right handed hitters.  Alfaro is likely to miss the rest of the season due to injury in AA and Brinson is in A ball.  Neither are projected to be in Arlington until 2017.  Don't forget that Rougned Odor is also a left handed hitter as well.

The Rangers had southpaw destroyers during the world series run in Nelson Cruz (.330 in 2010, .340 in 2011) then adding Mike Napoli (.319 in 2011) and Adrian Beltre (.315 in 2011).  They need to acquire right handed bats who can strike fear in opposing managers when they put a lefty on the mound.  That is simply not happening these days when folks look at the Rangers lineup.

It has to change and since there is no balance coming from within the organization, they have to go outside to get it.  Since they won't have the free agency funds to bring in an established hitter, the trade route is the only option.

Texas is in a good position with multiple commodities who should bring in quality prospects who can help the club under cheap team control for several seasons.

Mitch Moreland is having a career year, hitting .376 wOBA (weighted On Base %), his highest since his rookie 2010 season.  He is about to turn 30 years old and currently on a $3 million contract due for a massive raise.  He is a quality 1st base defender and has served as a DH during his time in Texas.

Yovani Gallardo is also having a career year with a 2.62 ERA and a 51.1% ground ball rate.  Gallardo is remarkably consistent making 30 plus starts since 2009 with an average in the mid 3.0s.  He has shown the ability to pitch in both leagues at a high level as many AL teams worry about the transition for NL pitchers acquired at the deadline.

What is the market for Moreland?

The Houston Astros despite falling out of first place in the division remain a contender and have not received any production out of their DH or 1st base this season and that was before Chris Carter left last night's game vs Texas with an ankle sprain.  Carter was hitting .185 with a .302 wOBA which is poor to be kind.  Moreland's $3 million dollar price tag presents no issues and Houston has the opening to easily slide him into their lineup.

What could Texas get back for Moreland?

 The goal is adding balance to the lineup who can help the club at a cheap price tag for several seasons.

Domingo Santana is a 22-year old right handed outfielder who has absolutely destroyed every level of minor league pitching but struggled when he's reached the majors in brief call ups the past 2 years.  He is a big guy standing 6-5 and 225 who hits the ball well, hit .323 in AAA last year and .296 the year before also in AAA.  He walks a lot around 12% of the time and hit at least 16 homers in the past 3 seasons.  He strikes out too often at almost 30%, seems to take a lot of called third strikes.  He has the arm to stick in right field and has an average glove.

Jed Lowrie has lost his starting job to Carlos Correa at shortstop but is about to return to the majors recovering from a finger injury.  The 31-year old is a switch hitting shortstop who has a career .288 average spread over 8 seasons, he has a $8 million price tag in 2015 but goes down to $7.5, $6.5 then a $6 million club option in 2018.

What is the market for Gallardo?

The LA Dodgers are hell bent on acquiring a top flight starting pitcher to pair with their other aces in Kershaw and Greinke to make a run for the playoffs.  The top targets are Johnny Cueto in Cincinnati or Cole Hamels in Philly but the price to get them will be high for Cueto and extremely high financially and prospects for Hamels.  Gallardo is a step down from Cueto and Hamels but the price tag is also a step down to acquire him.

What could Texas get back for Gallardo?

The Dodgers have a stud prospect in Julio Urias who ranks amongst the top 10 overall prospects in baseball as an 18 year old left handed starting pitcher.  He is a 18 year old southpaw with 3 plus pitches, a fastball that can top the mid 90s, an excellent curveball and a change up with an advanced feel for pitching, this coming from a 18 year old!  He has been mowing down minor league hitters with a strike out per 9 IP ratio of 11.50 in AA.  He had left eye surgery to remove a tumor that has some worried he would become blind in the future but he has no issues to date on the mound.

I do not expect the Dodgers to move Urias just for the services of Gallardo, the Rangers need to add something else to even out the value.  Introduce Jake Thompson who was acquired from the Tigers in the Joakim Soria trade last year who has top of the rotation stuff but he needs to get his command under control before he can get to the majors.  The upside is there just a tad below that of Urias but it gives the Dodgers a top 3rd pitcher to match with their aces and a top pitching prospect a year away to replace most of the value lost in Julio Urias.

Jon Daniels has 13 days to make something happen to unload some contract baggage on this team, add some offensive balance to the lineup and bring in quality arms to get this team back into contention.