Rangers deadline continues with acquisition of D-backs right-hander

What began as a boring trade deadline for the Texas Rangers turned into a splash in the pitching market after the reported acqusition of one of the Arizona Diamondbacks' top rotation arms.

Less than an hour before the deadline ESPN insider Jeff Passan reported the Rangers grabbed right-hander Merrill Kelly. Rangers are reported to be sending the team's No. 5 prospect Kohl Drake, No. 9 prospect Mitch Bratt and No. 13 prospect David Hagaman to Arizona for Kelly, who will hit the free agent market at the end of the season.

The 36-year-old Kelly is 9-6 this season with a 3.22 ERA, 121 strikeouts and a 1.06 WHIP in 128 2/3 innings of work for Arizona this season. The addition of Kelly to the Rangers' starting rotation gives Texas perhaps the best in MLB alongside Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom and the reformed Patrick Corbin.

The Rangers have history with Kelly, the 2023 World Series to be exact. Kelly was the only D-backs starter to solve the Rangers' offense that series, limiting them to just one run in seven innings of work in Arizona's sole victory in that series.

Kelly's move is the second of the deadline for Texas in the final hours, after trading a minor league pitcher to Minnesota in exchance for left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe.

There are also plenty of questions left unanswered. Are the Rangers dumping salary to make this happen? Did Rangers' owner Ray Davis finally authorize President of Baseball Operations Chris Young to spend over the luxury tax? Are they still looking to add?

There's no doubt Texas is still looking to add as Evan Grant reports they might still look for a reliever. But one thing is for sure, the American League West just went nuclear at the trade deadline.