3 Rangers who aren't as safe as they think with 2026 trade deadline less than a month away

It's less than a month away from the MLB trade deadline on August 3, and with the Texas Rangers hovering around .500 all season, combined with the parity in the American League this year, the Rangers look like they will be buyers.

But that doesn't mean that every player is safe and won't be dealt as part of a trade package. Even as potential suitors to strengthen their roster, sometimes you have to deal talent to acquire it. Here are some of the Rangers whose jobs aren't as safe as they think, whether the club buys or sells at the deadline.

Three Rangers who need to be ready to pack their bags come trade deadline time

Kumar Rocker

Kumar Rocker has all the stuff to be a star pitcher in this league, but he has had trouble putting it all together as he enters his third big-league season. He has average velocity, but has really worked on his splitter over the last several seasons, and the club was hoping it would become a reliable strikeout pitch for the big right-hander. It hasn't materialized as he ranks among the worst starters in K% and whiff rate.

Jordan Montgomery is currently ramping up his rehab toward a return from Tommy John, and Cody Bradford is also looking to get back on the mound after the All-Star break. Montgomery has proven he has playoff chops and World Series bona fides from 2023, and when Jack Leiter returns in August or September, there might not be a spot left for Rocker after the deadline

Josh Smith

The Rangers tried to promote Smith from the ultimate Swiss Army knife into the everyday second baseman, and he immediately fumbled the opportunity due to ineffectiveness and an unfortunate illness. He is now back to being that guy who you can play anywhere on the field and hit up and down the lineup.

Smith is still just 28 years old, but there is good reason to think that we've seen the best version of him that we're going to get. Any team that is looking for a versatile veteran who has shown he can hit to all fields and pop a homer every now and then should be eyeing Smith, as Ezequiel Duran has essentially usurped Smitty in 2026.

Corey Seager

Much has already been written about how the return on investment on Seager has not been what the organization and fanbase have wanted in the last two-and-a-half years. He is injury-prone and is on the books for $155 million more on his 10-year deal.

If the Rangers don't deal Seager at the deadline, then he will become a 10-5 player and will gain the ability to veto a trade to all 30 MLB teams, as opposed to the eight clubs he can block a deal to currently. Right now, he has only eight teams on his no-trade clause. If you're unsatisfied with what Seager is bringing (or not bringing) to the table, then you should move on from Seager and get what you can for his all-star bat while also dumping some of his salary.

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