Texas Rangers Trade Targets: Bullpen

Jun 25, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Oakland Athletics pitcher Tyler  Clippard (36) pitches in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Athletics beat the Rangers 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

3. Others

With the top two targets being Chapman and Papelbon, there remain several potential options to fill in this bullpen with some solid options. None of these arms will bring the same impact but they could help round out the bullpen with a consistent force and will be cheaper in terms of contract and return value.

• Tyler Clippard: Clippard was traded from the Washington Nationals to the Oakland Athletics this offseason and has had some success in the closer role. He has a 1-3 record with 13 saves and a 2.87 ERA in 31.1 innings. A main question regarding Clippard is that he is part of the bullpen for the Athletics that is currently the 3rd worst in baseball with a 4.45 ERA, so how is he the answer when he hasn’t much helped the Athletics? Clippard is likely the third best reliever that may be available and the team may want a player that is part of that top four.
• Jason Grilli: After the Atlanta Braves traded away Craig Kimbrel, Grilli stepped in and has played a big factor in the success for the team this season. He has a 2.93 ERA for the season and has managed to rack up 20 saves with an incredible 11.39 strikeouts per nine innings. Grilli is owed $4.2 million this year, $3.5 million in 2016, and has a team option for 2017 that can be bought out for $0.2 million. Grilli offers the Rangers a cheap option that is having success this season.
• Brad Ziegler: A name not mentioned often recently as a trade candidate, the 35-year-old has had a great year with the Diamondbacks. He has a 1.45 ERA and has made 11 saves so far this season. If the Diamondbacks continue to try to shed salary, they could look to move the reliever who is owed the rest of his $5 million this season and $5.5 million next season with a $1 million buyout.

Next: Final Thoughts