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.

#9: Ian Kennedy

Kennedy slotted in right behind Gibson on the list as one of the Texas Rangers’ representatives.

Re-signing Adolis Garcia to a minors deal after DFA’ing during the winter might be this team’s biggest steal of 2021, but closer Ian Kennedy has been quite the bargain himself.

Signed to a minors deal as well, Kennedy has converted 11 saves this season in 20 total relief appearances, pitching to a 1.77 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched.

The return on investment with this veteran reliever has been more than anyone could’ve imagined.

Yes, he did have closing experience with the Royals previously, but hadn’t pitched to this level at any point there or anywhere he’d been prior to the Rangers.

With those numbers and his cheap salary figure, Kennedy figures to be a hot commodity at the trade deadline for teams in need of late-inning options and the Rangers could net some decent value for his services. A win-win!

Honorable Mentions

These Texas Rangers didn’t make the official list, but were mentioned as players to watch.

Kyle Gibson, Ian Kennedy and Joey Gallo are the likeliest Rangers to find themselves on new teams by August 1, but that doesn’t mean Texas will only monitor the markets for these three players.

MLB Trade Rumors also mentioned set-up man Joely Rodriguez, starter Mike Foltynewicz, Brock Holt, Charlie Culberson and even Khris Davis as others on the roster to watch between now and July 30.

Certainly the way Khris Davis is going, his most probable path is a DFA. However, Rodriguez, Holt, Culberson and even Folty are all under-the-radar trade candidates who have emerged as key contributors at various points this season.

None of those names will bring back significant returns, but better to trade them for something rather than let them walk for nothing at the conclusion of the season.

Of course, how they all continue to perform between now and the trade deadline will determine each of their values as trade chips as the Rangers get set for what should be a busy seller season.