The Rangers made their first transfer of the summer season earlier this night by dealing a pair of prospects to the Tigers in change 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 file 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 prompt that Lorenzen (in addition to right-hander Jon Grey) might 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 yr with a 3.87 ERA in 18 begins, although the veteran’s 5.26 FIP and 11.9% stroll fee might 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 might 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 might be compelled out of his present position on the group 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 At the moment writes that the Rangers may choose to take the right-hander off the market within the aftermath of Grey exiting his begin at the moment with out throwing a pitch on account 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 problem. 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 energetic members of the beginning rotation.
Wilson goes on to recommend, nonetheless, the Lorenzen isn’t the one title the membership may think about procuring within the coming days. Wilson experiences that first baseman Nathaniel Lowe’s “title has surfaced” as a possible commerce chip for the Rangers this summer season amid a wonderful July that has boosted his general season slash line to .266/.361/.390 (114 wRC+). Whereas Lowe may actually be a doubtlessly worthwhile 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 turn into extra widespread, its arduous to think about the Rangers serving to both the Astros or Mariners enhance within the quick phrases as they appear to chase them down for the AL West title this yr. Nonetheless, it’s doable the Rangers are capable of finding a suitor for Lowe’s providers 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 recommend 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 on account of an undisclosed private matter, however the Rangers had been related to him earlier this week. Diaz has slashed simply .272/.327/.400 (111 wRC+) this yr following a gradual begin to the season however is only one yr 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 group management ought to they handle to land Diaz whereas delivery Lowe elsewhere. Alternatively, it’s actually possible that the membership may retain each gamers and make the most of one as their major DH for the rest of the 2024 marketing campaign earlier than trying to commerce one this winter ought to the membership determine to commit totally to purchasing this summer season. Such a transfer would supply an plain increase to the Texas offense, which has gotten an MLB-worst 57 wRC+ from the DH spot within the lineup this yr.
