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Texas Rangers: How Long Before Blowing It Up And Who Could Go?

By Kenneth Nash

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 09: Adrian Beltre #29 of the Texas Rangers talks with third base coach, Tony Beasley in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park in Arlington on April 9, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 09: Adrian Beltre #29 of the Texas Rangers talks with third base coach, Tony Beasley in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park in Arlington on April 9, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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The Texas Rangers are off to a poor start and although not unexpected, it’s still been rather disappointing for fans. With calls for changes to be made, how long will Texas wait before pulling the plug?

Heading into the season it was not wholly unexpected that the Rangers were not going to be a contender. The absolute ceiling for this team was possibly competing for a wild card spot but those dreams are all but over. With the season in shambles and sitting 11 games out of the AL West the question now facing the team is when to hit the reset button.

At 17-28, the Rangers are over a quarter of the way into the season and the rumblings have begun. Texas has a number of veteran players still capable of producing which become valuable trade assets heading into the summer. Along with expiring contracts however a number of players the Rangers would look to move are still on the hook for large, tough to move contracts. Additionally, Texas has seemed reluctant to fully engage in a rebuild and are hoping that a fully healthy lineup could compete on a higher level.

Top Names On The Block

So when should Texas pull the plug?

Despite fans wanting to jump on the fire sale train now, the best option is to wait just a bit longer. Two of the names being floated as trade bait are Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus who are both currently out with injuries. These injuries are big hits to trade value especially for Andrus who would command the most return. With both players looking to return at some point soon, Texas would be best served waiting until those guys return and can get some game time under their belt before shipping them off. These two would be the true mark of a rebuild for the Rangers.

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    • Expiring Contracts

    In the meantime, if Texas did want to go ahead an hop on the train, Jake Diekman is the biggest pitching name with an expiring contract. The hard throwing lefty has had a solid season to this point and would likely draw in some prospects in return. Diekman would be a tough player for fans to see go considering he’s become somewhat of a favorite among the Ranger faithful. However if the Rangers wanted to test the waters in the trade market he would be a good jumping off point.

    Bartolo Colon also has an expiring contract at the end of the season and despite being 44-years young, he’s been nothing short of stellar this season. With one of the top ERA’s in the AL among qualifiers, Colon likely could pull in something from a team looking to bolster their pitching depth heading into the postseason.

    Other Players To Go

    Beyond the top players on the trade block and those with expiring contracts, who else could we see leaving Arlington this season?

    The Rangers have a few players who could command some value in trade talks as well as those with contracts they’d like to move on from. Mike Minor is the first pitcher that comes to mind as one who could get a nice return on the trade market. Minor has pitched well to this point to the season and is under a very agreeable salary for the next two seasons. At under $10 million per year for 2019 and 2020, teams who are playoff caliber but also building for the future would love the chance to stick a quality left handed arm at the back of the rotation. The Rangers however could also use Minor as a building block of their rotation as the seasons progress. Minor is just 30-years old and still has a lot of gas in the tank. For Texas, he would be able to be a veteran who could fill a role in the middle of their rotation.

    Shin-Soo Choo is also another player that could be on his way out the door in Texas. The Rangers are on the hook for a massive contract for the OF/DH. Choo is still owed $42 million over 2019 and 2020 and at 35 years old, this becomes an even riskier investment for a potential suitor. However, Choo still is a quality hitter with considerable power. The Rangers would likely have to eat a portion of his salary to get rid of him. But being off the hook for at least some of the money is a boost to Texas and it also would open up the DH slot for one of the young sluggers in waiting.

    Conclusion

    The best course of action for the Rangers would be to wait until June before starting the process of blowing it up. Texas needs to at least get the roster healthy and playing consistently before shipping them off. No doubt though, the Rangers will sell off some names that have been mainstays in years past as they look to reclaim the power of the early 2010’s.

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