Looking to add at least one starting pitcher to their rotation, the Texas Rangers have reportedly turned their attention to San Diego Padres right-hander Andrew Cashner. Texas has made Cashner a focus, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, and the two sides would appear to match up well for a potential deal.
Cashner’s appeal to the Rangers exists on multiple levels. He’s Texas-raised and went to school at TCU. The 28 year old has even reportedly expressed to friends a desire to pitch in his home state. Cashner is also under team control for the next two seasons. He projects to earn $4.3 million in 2015, according to MLB Trade Rumors. He’d be an affordable addition, while still leaving the Rangers room to address other holes in the lineup that exist.
Since the start of the 2013 season Cashner has made 45 starts for the Padres, totaling 298.1 IP. He’s posted a 2.87 ERA and 1.130 WHIP in that stretch, emerging as a solid middle of the rotation option. Sliding him into a rotation fronted by Yu Darvish and Derek Holland would certainly bode well for the Rangers.
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GM A.J. Preller left a position with the Rangers to take the job with San Diego, so there is a high level of familiarity with Texas’ minor league system in even that discussions pick up between the two sides. A deal could be more easily constructed given the strong relationships in place. Grant speculates that other players could also be discussed, noting that the Padres have a pair of catchers they’d also like to move.
San Diego has reportedly been focused on landing an impact bat in return for one of their young starters, but it isn’t clear who the Rangers might be willing to move in order to facilitate a deal. Many of their top trade chips are infielders, some of whom the team would be selling low on following recent injuries.