Texas Rangers: 4 offseason predictions for the World Series Champion Texas Rangers

3) Texas trades for a starting pitcher

The quality of free agent starting pitchers is attractive. Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery, and Blake Snell are the best starters on the market. I am wondering if Texas wants to lose two draft picks for the third straight year. They already will be drafting at the end of the first round. Do they also want to lose a second and third-round pick? Signing Ohtani would cost a draft pick, but he is the best player in the game. Are Nola and Snell both worth giving up a draft pick for?

I think Texas will look into trading for a starter. Tyler Glasnow, Shane Bieber, and Dylan Cease are all potentially available. Glasnow and Bieber both have one year of control left and Cease has two years. One year likely works for where Texas is at currently. If Texas signs Ohtani they will have deGrom and Ohtani in the 2025 rotation with Jon Gray. Eovaldi could be pitching on a vesting option that locks in if he pitches another 156 innings in 2024. Then the last spot can go to someone like Jack Leiter, Dane Dunning, or Owen White.

Texas will likely end up trading for Shane Bieber. They will hope for a better result than when they traded for Corey Kluber. Bieber will be looking to put up a great season before he heads into free agency and Texas will be looking for someone to give their rotation depth in 2024.