The Texas Rangers headed into the break with the second-best record in the majors at 52-34. They have been on top of the AL West all season, and by far they look to be the strongest team in the AL. However, the Rangers starting pitchers have been beleaguered by injuries this season, forcing them to potentially seek trades to bring in quality starting pitching.
Could Greinke finish the year on the Rangers?
The main focus of the Rangers is on the Brewers’ Zack Greinke. This isn’t the first time they have actively and aggressively pursued Greinke. They also pursued him when the Royals wanted to trade him. With all of the injured pitchers due back by the end of July, acquiring Greinke would be more of a power play than it would be getting him to fill a hole due to injury. It would be very reminiscent of the Cliff Lee trade in 2010. Bring in a big arm, and let that arm carry you to the playoffs.
Also, there have been reports that the latest Texas Rangers trade rumors include interest in Cole Hamels, and that they could be the frontrunner to get him as well. It is well known that the Rangers have a good farm system and they can trade players like Jurickson Profar or Justin Grimm to bring in the ace they covet. There have also been rumors that the Rangers would consider trading Derek Holland in a package to acquire either Hamels or Greinke, although I’d be more willing to bet that the Rangers would include either Colby Lewis or Scott Feldman in a package over Derek Holland.
How this situation plays out over the next few months will be exciting and interesting, and if the Rangers can pull off acquiring a pitcher with the caliber of a staff ace, like they did with Lee in 2010, then look for them to be even more dangerous down the stretch.
About Mariner Eccles
Get rid of Lewis and Holland and maybe one or two younger guys. We have a solid core. Let’s get some aces in here especially if it means that we can get fieldman’s over paid one time wonder arm out of here. Just throw if in any deal get him out of here.
I agree. The Rangers would be stupid to trade Profar, Olt or Perez. Profar is said to be a Hanley Rameriz clone–Olt is the replacement for an aging M Young, & everyone still talks of Perez as being a staff ace. Both Hamels & Grienke would only be half year players. Plus the Rangers will be getting all of their injured pitchers back soon. Now I would like to see if the Rangers could sign one of them in the off season, preferably Grienke. I also worry about Hamels in the AL, but Grienke has been a Cy Young caliber pitcher in the AL before. So he would be the safer signing.
They would be making a big mistake to trade Colby Lewis . He’s the only successful post season pitcher they have . Don’t trade Lewis , he’s the ace and the younger inexperienced look up to him . Get rid of Holland if your gonna trade someone . He looks scared on the mound to me , and other teams feed on that fear .
the Rangers would be crazy to part ways with a young talent like Jurickson Profar–especially for a mildly over-rated flake like Cole Hamels who–I’m betting–wouldn’t fare as well in the hitter-rich American League as he did in the NL…