Texas Rangers Face Major Pitching Crisis Could a Blockbuster Trade Be the Answer?
The Texas Rangers are facing a significant challenge with their starting rotation, and it’s not about Jacob deGrom or Nathan Eovaldi. Instead, their depth has taken a major hit.
On Saturday, Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young delivered some tough news: two expected members of the opening-day rotation, Jon Gray and Cody Bradford, will be sidelined for a considerable time.
Gray sustained a fractured right hand after being struck by a comebacker during his outing on Friday. This marks the second time he’s suffered such an injury since last season, but this time, it’s much more severe. He’ll be out for at least six weeks, and further X-rays will determine if surgery is necessary. To put this in perspective, third baseman Josh Jung had a similar injury last season and was out for more than three months.
Bradford, who was already expected to miss opening day due to elbow soreness, has been instructed not to throw for four weeks. That means the earliest he could return to action is May.
With these setbacks, Texas has internal options to fill the gaps, but Young made it clear that “everything is on the table” when it comes to shoring up their pitching staff.
This could open the door for a major move perhaps a trade for San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease.
Earlier this week, The New York Post reported that at least nine teams had shown interest in Cease, though two teams remained unnamed. Texas wasn’t listed, but given their current situation, they could be a stealth contender for his services.
Cease is a highly coveted arm, having finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting last season after posting a 14-11 record with a 3.47 ERA and 224 strikeouts in 33 starts. The year before, he was the runner-up for the AL Cy Young while with the White Sox. His contract is also appealing a manageable $13.5 million salary for the 2024 season. The Rangers are cautious about adding payroll, but if the Padres cover part of the deal, it could be a perfect match.
So, what would it take to land Cease?
The Padres, who still see themselves as contenders, won’t part with him cheaply. Reports from The San Diego Union-Tribune indicate that San Diego wants, at minimum, a Major League-ready power bat in return.
Texas has power in its lineup, but not much to spare. The most enticing option for the Padres might be Adolis García, the slugging right fielder with one more year of team control. Trading García wouldn’t be an easy decision for the Rangers, but they do have outfield depth veteran Kevin Pillar could step in, though he lacks García’s offensive firepower.
Beyond García, the Padres would likely demand a top pitching prospect. Names like Emiliano Teodo or Kumar Rocker could be in play, though Texas might counter with prospects Winston Santos or Jose Corniell, both of whom rank in the Rangers’ Top 15 and are close to MLB-ready.
The Rangers could also include a minor league bat such as Blaine Crim, a slugger with power who plays first base and DH but currently has no clear path to the big-league roster.
For context, when the Padres acquired Cease from the White Sox, they gave up four players, including three pitchers. If Texas wants to strike a deal, they’ll need to put together a similarly enticing package.
It would be a steep price to pay, but for the Rangers, securing an elite arm like Cease to bolster their rotation could be exactly what they need to weather the storm and potentially push for another deep playoff run.
