Rangers might already be regretting this trade deadline that seems like an unforced error

The Texas Rangers have felt like a team in need of a spark. Despite what we presume are their best efforts, they've struggled to make up any ground since ceding control of the AL West to the Houston Astros right before the trade deadline.

That trade deadline date, August 3, is an important one, because that was the date that the Rangers sent Josh Smith to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Adam Macko. At the time, it seemed as if Smith didn't have a place on the roster, so flipping him for a lefty arm with more team control and some potential seemed like a good use of assets.

Nicky Lopez had seemingly grabbed the strongside platoon role at second base and was a real spark plug while Smith was scuffling. But for those paying attention, the well-traveled Lopez was about to turn back into a pumpkin. Lopez went into a 0-19 skid over the week leading up to the trade deadline, foreshadowing what was about to happen.

Lopez has since retreated to his familiar role as the last man off the bench and has compiled just 40 at-bats since August 4, hitting .200 in the process. Smith, on the other hand, has taken off with a .257/.381/.600 line since heading north of the border.

Meanwhile, Adam Macko originally was sent to Round Rock at the time of the trade, where he posted a 5.63 ERA over eight innings. That came after a 4.07 ERA over 24 1/3 frames with the Blue Jays Triple-A affiliate, and 22 innings with a 4.91 ERA with Toronto in the majors. Texas called Macko up on August 28 to help patch the battered bullpen, but he's allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings since.

Josh Smith's bat will cool, but he could have had a role with the 2027 Rangers

Smith had been a serviceable player for the Rangers in 2024 and 2025, posting wRC+ marks of 113 and 101, respectively, while also recording 2.9 fWAR in 2024 and 1.8 fWAR in 2025. This year was supposed to finally be his real opportunity, with him expected to take over second base full time now that Marcus Semien is in Queens with the New York Mets.

Wrist inflammation followed by viral meningitis, combined with Ezequiel Duran's breakout and Nicky Lopez's dalliance with usefulness, really put Smith behind the eight ball.

He did himself no favors by hitting .213/.299/.272 in a Rangers uniform this season. With that said, the types of ailments he suffered this season have a tendency to linger. Wrist injuries can sap offensive performance for weeks, even after a full physical recovery. Viral meningitis can cause fatigue and low energy for weeks or even months, even after the virus has been cleared.

We don't know for sure that these were factors in Smith's case, but the stark difference in performance makes it feel likely. Now, Smith, who isn't known for his power, won't continue to slug .600, but there's a decent chance that he performs at a 100-110 wRC+ level moving forward.

That could've been useful for the Rangers in 2027 and beyond. Smith is under team control through 2028, and could have paired with Justin Foscue for a formidable second base platoon duo moving forward.

Meanwhile, the jury is still out on Macko. He could end up being a steal, but he hasn't done anything at either the Triple-A level or in the majors to make one believe that will be the ultimate outcome. At the same time, we have seen Smith have success, which counts for something.

In this deal, the Rangers traded certainty for the unknown, and they might live to regret it. Right now, Texas could really use Smith's bat, while Macko doesn't seem like he'll be a positive factor in Texas's playoff chase.

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