3 trade destinations for Marcus Stroman - Texas Rangers
For reasons opposite the teams listed above, the Texas Rangers want to make a strong push in their own right. Unlike the Phillies or Dodgers, the Rangers already post spectacular starting pitching numbers and will look to add to them. Currently, they sit with a combined rotation ERA of 3.40, the second-best mark in the AL, only trailing the Tampa Bay Rays. Not only are the Rangers 41-24, in first place of the AL West ahead of the Houston Astros by 4.5 games, but they were also just dealt a substantial blow in losing ace Jacob deGrom for the remainder of the season due to needing Tommy John surgery.
On top of their strong starting staff, the Rangers also boast the best team batting average in baseball with a mark of .273. There is no reason to believe they won't go all in for the trade deadline, especially after learning of deGrom's situation. However, the most impressive part of all this is that deGrom hasn't even pitched since April. Surely, though, they were surprised to lose him for the remainder of the season. With a strong farm system of their own, the Rangers have all the makings of a team ready to make a World Series run. Don't be surprised if Rangers/Cubs rumors begin to persist as we get closer to the deadline.