Texas Rangers Trade Deadline Preview

Texas Rangers Targets at the Trade Deadline

Texas has been mentioned with nearly every significant trade target at this point. They are actively engaging in trade talks with several teams as we get closer to the deadline. There are a few specific names that they have been linked to over the last several days.

Justin Verlander

Verlander is the best right-handed pitcher of this generation and at age 40 is still going strong. He pitches for the New York Mets and is in the first year of a potential three-year contract. Texas was linked to Verlander and even called the "frontrunners" to land Verlander by Mark Feinsand just recently. Andy Martino of SNY in New York said that Rangers' scouts have been watching Verlanders' last two starts. Evan Grant has mentioned how Texas is willing to go into the luxury tax to take on Verlanders' contract. Texas is involved and wants Verlander.

There is a couple of issues. First, they would likely want New York to take on some of the remaining contract value. Second, Verlander has a full no-trade clause. The question becomes does he want to come to Texas? I have to imagine that Texas is not going this far down the road with Verlander without the thought that he would say yes to a deal. Mark Feinsand also mentioned how Houston would be interested in a deal. This could be a Lone Star showdown that could go a long way toward determining who wins this division.

Blake Snell and Josh Hader

Texas is playing San Diego this weekend and will get a first-hand look at Blake Snell when he takes the mound on Sunday afternoon. San Diego is one of the most talented teams in the entire league, but yet has not put it together at all. They are one of those teams trying to decide whether to buy or sell for this season. Their record is currently 50-54 and they are nine games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers and are six games behind San Francisco for the last wild card spot. If they can put together a solid two to three stretch they could potentially vault themselves into the race, but there is just 58 games left in the season and by the deadline it will be 56 games. That is not a lot of time.

The Texas Rangers' key front office personnel are there in San Diego to discuss any and all trades that could happen including a trade with the Padres. That trade would likely be for Snell and Hader. Both of these pitchers are free agents at the end of the season. They are each having great seasons and would give this Texas team a shot to go deep into October. That is if the all-in San Diego Padres decide to do an about-face and decide to sell. They are not there yet, but Texas with a series win could push the Padres into the sell category.

Next: NL Central pitchers that are on Texas' radar