How should the Rangers deal with their Jacob Webb problem?

What was thought to be a strangely successful bullpen rebuild for the Texas Rangers over the winter has turned a corner into something horrific and the issues are deeper than a simple fix here or there.

One of those relievers thought to be the answer was right-hander Jacob Webb. The Rangers signed him to a one-year deal this offseason after spending part of the last two years with the Baltimore Orioles.

It was a hope that Webb would pan together with the likes of Hoby Milner, Chris Martin, Luke Jackson and Robert Garcia to make a potentially lethal back half of the pen. That hasn't been the case and Webb has been arguably the worst of them. That in mind, how should the Rangers move forward with him?

3 options the Rangers have to fix their Jacob Webb problem

1. Move on from him.

Webb was never going to be the closer but the way the bullpen was constructed it was going to be necassary for him to play the role on occasion but he was also going to be an arm trusted by Bruce Bochy in tight games.

In 24 innings of work this season, Webb has a 5.47 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, having given up 15 earned runs in that stretch. He's also blown two saves and lost three games, most recently giving up the game-winning homer on Wednesday in the ninth inning to Bo Bichette.

There's not a ton of redemming qualities that Webb has. His fastball velo is 93 mph, which is just in the 28th percentile while also failing to get batters to chase, swing-and-miss and strikeout. Metrics that seem important to have for a one-to-two inning relief arm. His walk rate is also terrible, having issued 10 walks to 18 strikeouts.

2. Trade for a shutdown closer.

This option doesn't get rid of Webb, it just casually lowers his sense of responsibility and importance within the bullpen. Which in my mind sounds ten times worse.

Now will the Rangers even be buyers at the deadline? It's not unusual to think so sonce they are only three games under .500 at 27-30 and seperated from the top of the AL West by just four games before the calendar even hits June.

Of course the offense has to start playing ball and given the team opportunities to win games but if they do that, then they'd only be a solid few bullpen arms shy of making a real run. A closer is key in all of that.

Who's on the market though? The Nationals could be very intrigued in trading Kyle Finnegan. The same could be said for the Pirates and David Bednar. I am also sure the Rangers would love to find a way to get their hands on Ryan Helsley but since the Cardinals are 32-24 to start the season, they might want to hold on to him.

3. Manuever him around the bullpen/call up other arms

There is ways you can keep him and give him chances to get better in less stressful/important scenarios but this would be the "I just give up" solution.

Texas hopes that Josh Sborz will come back from his shoulder surgery, they also hope to get Chris Martin back and maybe even give Emiliano Teodo a chance in the bullpen eventually. This would open up chances for the team to give Webb a lesser role.

They can't take demote him since he is out of options so it might be the case where he just ends up getting released. But before that, put him in less stressful roles and give others a shot. He might prove useful in a different role and then the small $2.5 million investment pays off down the stretch of the season.