3 Players The Texas Rangers Should Trade At The Deadline

It’s time to start thinking about what to do if the Rangers can’t turn their season around. Which players should stay and which players should go this July? The future of the Rangers organization could change in less than a month.

It’s hard to see the Texas Rangers pulling off an epic comeback season at this point. They currently sit at 40-44 and 3.5 games back of the American League Wildcard. Problems continue to pile up, and it could be time to pull the plug.

At first glance the Rangers roster looks fierce and ready for playoff baseball, but it’s not that simple. The injuries have crushed the pitching staff, and the bullpen has been unwatchable. The Rangers bullpen has almost 20 blown saves and it’s only July.

Hard to imagine a fairy tale comeback story happening this season. General manager Jon Daniels is better off trading away some of these valuable players, and building towards a bigger and brighter future in Arlington.

It’s never easy to watch your team go into rebuild mode, but it might be time for that to happen in Arlington. What pieces do the Rangers have for sale that could bring back valuable assets?

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.