MLB Trade Rumors: Texas Rangers beginning to sell?
The Texas Rangers are declaring themselves sellers and will put Adrian Beltre, Keone Kela and Jake Diekman in the trade market, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
We’ve already seen Alex Colome, Denard Span, Kelvin Herrera and Jon Jay move in the trade market. Not only is it trade season, but it also means it’s MLB Trade Rumors season. The Texas Rangers find themselves 13 games out of the division and 16.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
Because of that, it means the club is going to market some of their assets.
The Rangers, according to a major league source, are making Adrian Beltre available to contending teams interested in a third baseman. Also: The Rangers are making lefty Jake Diekman and closer Keone Kela available on the trade market, the source said.
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Adrian Beltre has only played 47 games thus far this season but has been productive, hitting .314 with an .820 OPS, four homers, and 25 RBI. He would fit in nicely with the Philadelphia Phillies or Atlanta Braves to play third and provide a veteran presence to clubs with so many young players on them in a pennant race.
Beltre is a free agent after the season, and because he has played 10 years in the league and five or more with his current club, can veto any trade.
Kela and Diekman will have interest to any and all clubs in the pennant race as they look to upgrade their bullpens.
Diekman is a free agent after the year as well. He is 1-0 with a 2.96 ERA. What’s interesting about him this year is his reverse splits. Lefties are hitting .304 against him, while righties are hitting just .174. Last year, lefties hit just .154 against him, so you have to figure that may turn around.
Kela comes with team control, as he can’t be a free agent until 2022. The 25-year-old is 18 of 18 in save opportunities this year and has 33 strikeouts in 27 innings.
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Kela would be the piece that can get the most back in the trade market because of the multiple years of control and how teams value that plus power late game arms.
The Texas Rangers are pretty far away from contending so anyone that has value can and should be dealt by the deadline. Veterans on expiring deals like Beltre and Diekman won’t be on the club the next time they are in contention.
With each day that we get closer to July 31, those players lose value. The Texas Rangers have established where they are, and it’s time to tear down some of the club.