Matt Vasgersian sends Trevor Bauer to the Texas Rangers

On MLB Network’s Hot Stove, Matt Vasgersian predicted Wednesday that reigning NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer would take his services to Texas.

During what has been a slow moving offseason, MLB Network’s Hot Stove has created a game that predicts where free agents should sign.

The “Free Agent Slot Machine” chooses a random free agent and co-hosts Matt Vasgersian and Harold Reynolds choose where that free agent would fit.

On Wednesday morning, Harold Reynolds chose to send James Paxton AND Trevor Bauer to the division rival Los Angeles Angels.

Both would admittedly be great fits there, much to the Texas Rangers‘ demise.

Matt Vasgersian, on the other hand, decided to go bold and send Bauer to… Arlington?

You heard that right!

Vasgersian reasoned that with the impeccable Globe Life Field and Texas! Live, Trevor Bauer would help christen the new ballpark and give the organization a pitcher to build around.

Here is where the real discussion begins.

Trevor Bauer would absolutely make the Texas Rangers a better ballclub, and any club better for that matter.

Trevor Bauer might be fun to watch in a Texas Rangers uniform, but he’s not the right fit.

However, as it stands today, the Texas Rangers are in no position to contend or cough up the Gerrit Cole-esque money that Bauer is seeking ($30-40 million AAV).

That being said, the Texas Rangers should be out of contention for his services, but based on his unpredictable social media presence, anything could happen.

The Texas Rangers would love to have a star pitcher to build around, especially with the young rotation they expect to roll out in 2021, but those funds could also be allocated elsewhere.

In my opinion, the Texas Rangers should hold off on Bauer and sign one of the big-name shortstops next season, such as Trevor Story.

Keep in mind, next offseason has a solid, but aging group of starting pitchers available, including Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander, Lance McCullers and Clayton Kershaw, among others.

If Texas seeks to contend in 2023, they should spend big next year and build around a combination of Story and McCullers, for example.

So while it might be fun to speculate Trevor Bauer donning “Rangers” across his chest this season, he simply isn’t the right fit for the current ballclub.

Nevertheless, we love that Matty V is giving our Texas Rangers some love!