The Rangers made their first transfer of the summer time earlier this night by dealing a pair of prospects to the Tigers in trade for catcher Carson Kelly, who figures to exchange Andrew Knizner within the membership’s catching tandem alongside 2023 All-Star Jonah Heim. The transfer confirms that the reigning World Sequence champs received’t be full-blown sellers regardless of a lackluster 51-55 document that leaves them 4.5 video games again of the Astros and Mariners within the AL West, however that doesn’t imply the membership essentially plans to purchase solely within the coming days, both.
As famous by Joel Sherman of the New York Publish in a report this night, the Rangers are making right-hander Michael Lorenzen accessible on the commerce market. The information comes after The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal recommended that Lorenzen (in addition to right-hander Jon Grey) may very well be made accessible previous to the deadline earlier this week. The 32-year-old Lorenzen has pitched solidly as a back-of-the-rotation possibility for Texas this 12 months with a 3.87 ERA in 18 begins, although the veteran’s 5.26 FIP and 11.9% stroll fee may very well be worrisome to potential patrons.
In a sellers’ market starved for pitching choices, it’s simple to think about how a pitcher like Lorenzen who has loads of expertise each as a starter and as a reliever may very well be a lovely commerce goal even regardless of worrisome peripheral numbers. In the meantime, dealing Lorenzen would permit the Rangers to recoup some long-term worth for a pending free agent who may very well be compelled out of his present function on the workforce by the approaching returns of Tyler Mahle, Jacob deGrom, and Cody Bradford from harm.
That doesn’t imply that Lorenzen is a lock to be moved, nonetheless, as Jeff Wilson of Rangers As we speak writes that the Rangers may decide to take the right-hander off the market within the aftermath of Grey exiting his begin at present with out throwing a pitch as a consequence of a groin harm. As famous by Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning Information, Grey is ready to endure imaging to find out the severity of the difficulty. With none of Mahle, Bradford, nor deGrom prone to be able to step into the membership’s rotation simply but, a big absence for Grey may complicate the membership’s plans to deal Lorenzen by leaving them with solely Nathan Eovaldi, Max Scherzer, and Andrew Heaney as lively members of the beginning rotation.
Wilson goes on to counsel, nonetheless, the Lorenzen isn’t the one title the membership may think about buying within the coming days. Wilson studies that first baseman Nathaniel Lowe’s “title has surfaced” as a possible commerce chip for the Rangers this summer time amid a superb July that has boosted his total season slash line to .266/.361/.390 (114 wRC+). Whereas Lowe may actually be a probably helpful addition for sure groups, two of the obvious suitors for a primary baseman this deadline are the Rangers’ personal division rivals in Houston and Seattle. Even in an age the place intradivisional buying and selling has change into extra widespread, its onerous to think about the Rangers serving to both the Astros or Mariners enhance within the quick phrases as they give the impression of being to chase them down for the AL West title this 12 months. Nonetheless, it’s doable the Rangers are capable of finding a suitor for Lowe’s companies elsewhere, similar to in Pittsburgh the place the Pirates may look to improve over Rowdy Tellez at first base.
The lack of Lowe from the lineup would additional weaken a beleaguered Rangers offense, however Wilson goes on to counsel that dealing Lowe may open up a spot within the membership’s lineup for Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz. Diaz is presently on the restricted listing as a consequence of an undisclosed private matter, however the Rangers have been related to him earlier this week. Diaz has slashed simply .272/.327/.400 (111 wRC+) this 12 months following a sluggish begin to the season however is only one 12 months faraway from a sixth-place end in AL MVP voting with the Rays final season.
The 32-year-old is controllable by means of the 2026 season identical to Lowe is, and it’s theoretically doable that the Rangers may look to improve first base whereas retaining the identical quantity of workforce management ought to they handle to land Diaz whereas transport Lowe elsewhere. Alternatively, it’s actually possible that the membership may retain each gamers and make the most of one as their main DH for the rest of the 2024 marketing campaign earlier than trying to commerce one this winter ought to the membership determine to commit absolutely to purchasing this summer time. Such a transfer would supply an plain enhance to the Texas offense, which has gotten an MLB-worst 57 wRC+ from the DH spot within the lineup this 12 months.
