3 Texas Rangers make MLBTR’s top trade deadline candidates

July 30 may still be a little while away, but it feels as though the Texas Rangers‘ fate as buyers or sellers at this year’s trade deadline is more or less set in stone.

Spoiler alert: They will be sellers.

Need more evidence than their last place standing in the AL West and lackluster record overall (not to mention an ugly road losing streak)? Look no further than MLB Trade Rumors, which released a ranking of the Top 40 MLB Trade Candidates expected to be available in deadline deals next month.

The Texas Rangers have three representatives on the list, which is good and bad. Good in the sense that the roster has enough tradeable assets to build on a burgeoning farm system, but bad in that… well, they’ll be punting on the season.

Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, let’s look at the players who could have a realistic shot at being shipped out of Arlington this summer.

#8: Kyle Gibson

Gibson is the highest ranked member on the list for the Texas Rangers.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Kyle Gibson checks in as the highest ranking player for the Rangers on this list.

The team’s staff ace has been tremendous this season, pitching to a 2.24 ERA in 10 starts and 60.1 innings pitched, a monumental pivot from his bad 2020.

Not only is Gibby a trade candidate, but he’s in great position to clinch an All-Star berth for the first time in his career. Pitching on a national stage in Colorado can only improve his odds of being attractive to other franchises looking for starting help this summer.

Gibson isn’t your typical power stuff, strikeout pitcher, and that could lead to some regression as time goes on. However, teams like the Yankees, Mets, Cardinals, Phillies and others who need depth or injury replacements in their rotation should be phoning up the Rangers’ front office as we speak.