Texas Rangers: 3 Reasons a Nomar Mazara trade should be off the table this offseason

Reason #2: There’s absolutely no rush to trade him

If creating space for Willie Calhoun is a reason to trade your best player, count me as confused. The Rangers can find a way to configure their outfield without dealing Mazara. The OF surplus may be a problem, but not a big enough problem to warrant any drastic moves.

Assuming Beltre retires, the DH role will open up for Choo. That takes care of him. As for Calhoun and DeShields, neither is guaranteed to play everyday. Moreover, neither has done anything to deserve to play everyday. If the Rangers trade Mazara, they will be forced to provide regular playing time to at least one of them, and that would certainly be a risk.

You have to look to the future as well. After all, the Texas Rangers are in a rebuild. The organization’s top two prospects are outfielders. Leody Taveras, Texas’ #1 prospect, is expected to surface in the big leagues in 2020. Julio Pablo Martinez, Texas’ #2 prospect, is expected to debut in 2020 as well.

Those two certainly factor into Nomar Mazara trade possibilities. Calhoun, age 23, also factors in. The Rangers should already be planning for the arrival of their top prospects; however, nothing needs to be done at the big league level this offseason in regard to them.

Mazara isn’t a free agent until 2022. It’s not like he is nearing an expiring contract and the Rangers need to flip him. See what kind of season he has in 2019 and decide how to handle him from there. I don’t know about you, but I am certainly interested to see what a Mazara/Taveras/Martinez outfield unit would produce in 2020, and beyond.