Rangers could trade away All-Star pitcher at deadline?

A look at the Texas Rangers logo inside Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on December 13, 2023. Photo Credit: Larry Brown Sports

The Texas Rangers are caught at a crossroads ahead of next week’s MLB trade deadline, but one notable name may be up for sale regardless.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Rangers pitcher Michael Lorenzen is a candidate for trade, especially if the team doesn’t view him as a part of their postseason rotation. Rosenthal notes that Texas is looking for another bat as well as possibly a controllable reliever on the trade market.

Fellow Rangers right-hander Jon Gray is also said to be a trade candidate, but Rosenthal adds that it is less likely that Texas will move either Nathan Eovaldi or Andrew Heaney.

Lorenzen, an All-Star for the Detroit Tigers in 2023, signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Rangers over the winter. While his strikeout numbers continue to trend down, Lorenzen is still having a satisfactory 2024 season, going 5-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 17 total starts for Texas.

The defending champion Rangers are unlikely to sell in bulk at the deadline, even at 49-52 on the season. That is because of a recent fade by the division-leading Seattle Mariners that now has Texas sitting just three games back of the AL West crown.

Still, the Rangers have a cavalry coming soon with starting pitchers Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle, Dane Dunning, and Cody Bradford all expected back from injury at some point before the end of the regular season. That means that a consolidation trade may be necessary with Lorenzen (who has drawn interest from contending teams in months past) and to a lesser extent Gray (who is still signed through 2025) seemingly the likeliest ones to go.