Rangers fans won't like Bleacher Report's trade deadline prediction for Texas

The Texas Rangers were quite active during last year's trade deadline. In fact, one could say that the Rangers actually kicked things off with the early-season trade for then-Kansas City Royals reliever Aroldis Chapman. Will the Rangers take a similar approach in 2024?

Bleacher Report doesn't think so. In a recent article titled 8 Early Predictions for the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline, the outlet described how the Rangers may be looking to address the team's shortcomings prior to July 30.

Bleacher Report pegged the Rangers as a team that will "Do Their Deadline 'Buying' Via the IL" — citing the number of Texas players currently on the injured list who are eligible to return later this season. That's certainly a strategy, and quite frankly it's realistic. But it may not be wise.

Rangers fans won't like Bleacher Report's trade deadline prediction for Texas

Objectively speaking, this wouldn't be the worst approach the Rangers could take. With players like Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle, and Josh Jung all on the IL, there's definitely some high-profile names on their way back for the second half of the 2024 season.

But it's a rather bold strategy to stake the future of your starting rotation on two players returning from Tommy John surgery and another who's currently dealing with a nerve issue. Jung is a rather safe bet, but the trio of Scherzer, deGrom, and Mahle are anything but. Scherzer will turn 40 years old before the trade deadline and deGrom hasn't thrown over 100 innings since 2019.

However, with so much of the team's 2024 payroll tied up in those three starting pitchers, Bleacher Report's prediction is spot-on. Other than maybe an extra arm or two for the bullpen, it seems unlikely Chris Young will pull the trigger on any major moves later this summer.

A lot can change between now and July 30, but it's quite likely that the Texas front office will pin its hopes on the return of Scherzer, deGrom, and Mahle. Let's hope that decision pays off.

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