3 Players The Texas Rangers Should Trade At The Deadline

Yu Darvish

Four-time All-Star pitcher Yu Darvish is likely going to be the best player available at the trade deadline this season. The 30-year-old is 6-7 with a 3.56 ERA in 18 starts with 119 strikeouts. The Rangers should sell high on Darvish and get back as much as they can.

After this season Darvish is eligible for free agency.. He has not reached a long-term extension with the Rangers. The two sides don’t seem close to an agreement and most likely Darvish is headed towards the open market this winter.

The biggest problem has been health for Darvish, but he’s looked incredible this season. Nothing is slowing him down, and he’s earned a big pay-day this off-season. Moving Darvish at the deadline is a must for the Rangers.

Even for half a season the Rangers could get a monster return on Darvish. Possibly two top-tier prospects and a couple other low-level players as well. The Rangers could be looking at gaining four or five players for just Yu Darvish.

The best part is that the Rangers could re-sign Darvish this off-season. Trade him for prospects and then re-sign him. No extension has been reached, so Darvish must be moved this July. It’s hard to watch him go, but it’s for the future of the organization.

Jonathan Lucroy

The Rangers recently opened up and said that the team is willing to move catcher Jonathan Lucroy at the deadline. A smart move for the Rangers as Lucroy is set to become a free agent after the season.

The two-time All-Star catcher was acquired by Texas last August. The Rangers gave up a boatload of prospects in exchange for Lucroy and reliever Jeremy Jeffress. That deal has backfired on the Rangers as Lucroy as not lived up to expectations.

This season Lucroy is batting .259 with four homeruns and 22 RBI in 62 games. He’s been a rock behind the plate, but his hitting has steadily declined over the last season. It’s time for the Rangers to get as much as they can for Lucroy.

One problem could be that Lucroy does have a no trade clause in his contract. He declined a trade to the Cleveland Indians last season which then landed him in Arlington. The 31-year-old catcher will likely want to play with a contender instead of Texas.

The no trade clause should not be a huge problem for the Rangers as Lucroy is a free agent after the season. There is no long-term commitment to whichever team lands him, and he can leave after the season.

The Rangers believe a duo of Robinson Chirinos and Brett Nicholas is good enough. Texas can always trade or sign another catcher in the off-season. Trading Lucroy is a must because re-signing him is unlikely.

Getting something for Lucroy is better than nothing. The Rangers could get two or three prospects for Lucroy. He only has half a season left and is performing average on offense. Don’t expect a huge return, but something is much better than letting him walk for nothing.

Cole Hamels

If the Rangers decide to rebuild then they need to move veteran Cole Hamels. This trade could bring back more than both Darvish and Lucroy combined. Despite his struggles this season, Hamels track record speaks for itself.

He is signed through the 2018 sign with a team option for 2019. The extra years is what makes Hamels such an appealing option. Both Lucroy and Darvish would be half a season transactions, but Hamels would be for possibly two seasons.

This season Hamels is 3-0 with a 4.12 ERA in seven starts. He was an All-Star last season, but has spent plenty of time on the disabled list in 2016. He’s not likely going to get any better and the Rangers should just trade him while he still has value.

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The fact Hamels has multiple years left and is affordable makes him a valuable asset. Teams will ignore the 4 ERA, and trust he will bounce back. This could be a game changing trade for the Rangers.

It’s hard to imagine Texas getting back what they gave up to Philadelphia for Hamels. They could still get at least one or two top-tier prospects for Hamels. Then possibly three or four lower level players.

Getting a No. 5 or higher prospect from any organization for Hamels is unlikely. If they did, that would be basically the only player in the deal. It’s much better if the Rangers get five or six players and restock their farm system.

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At the end of the day the Rangers could possibly get around ten total players for Lucroy, Hamels, and Darvish. Yes, rebuilding is hard to watch, but this could be a chance to change the culture in Arlington for the future.