3 Ways Joe Palumbo Can Change the Texas Rangers Trade Plans

Palumbo Takes Texas Out of the Trade Market

What if Joe Palumbo takes his opportunity and runs with it? Palumbo likely would get at least a couple of starts before the Rangers really got into this year’s trade market meaning we’ll at least get a couple of opportunities to test this situation. If two or three starts in, Palumbo has really taken ahold of the situation and cemented a spot for himself at the back end of the Rangers rotation, he could cause Texas to back out of the trade market altogether.

The Rangers rotation, including Palumbo, currently consists of Mike Minor, Lance Lynn, Adrian Sampson, Ariel Jurado, and Joe Palumbo. Mike Minor has emerged as a legit number one and could be a sneaky Cy Young candidate leading the MLB in pitching WAR. Lance Lynn, an offseason acquisition has been a very quality number two and has been as consistent as asked. His stats won’t jump off the page but he will continue to give Texas the opportunity to win. Sampson and Jurado seemed to have taken big steps forward this year but have hit a rocky period over the past couple of starts.

So say, Palumbo pitches well and Texas is comfortable keeping him in the rotation. With eyes on the future, the Rangers may be content to run with this group of five and hope they can sneak their way in the Wild Card. If they do, Texas has vastly outperformed expectations, and if they don’t, Texas won’t have the regrets of dealing any prospects for what is a very outside contending shot at best.