With the MLB regular season just over a month underway, the Texas Rangers have stumbled out of the gate, facing significant challenges due to early injuries. Given the team’s current trajectory, it’s plausible that the front office is exploring potential trades to inject new life into the squad. Rangers’ GM Chris Young faces the task of assessing his roster in the coming weeks, determining indispensable players and those better suited for trades. Below, we examine several Rangers players at risk of being moved in the upcoming months.
Leody Taveras
Centerfielder Leody Taveras has had a notably disappointing start to the season, particularly in his offensive performance. Now in his third full season with the Rangers, Taveras has struggled to maintain consistency at the plate throughout his time in Arlington, and this year is no different. While Taveras has never been a standout offensive player, his defensive prowess previously compensated for his shortcomings. However, this season, his offensive struggles have become too pronounced for the Rangers to overlook, especially with outfielder Travis Jankowski proving to be a more reliable hitter.
Given the Rangers’ offensive struggles and Taveras’ hindrance to bolstering their lineup, the front office must contemplate trading him in hopes of acquiring valuable assets in return.
Jack Leiter
While it might spark debate, I hold the belief that Jack Leiter’s tenure with the Rangers should draw to a close for several reasons. Drafted second overall by the Rangers in 2021, Leiter has struggled to find his footing against both major and minor league hitters. The organization has exhausted efforts to nurture Leiter into a reliable MLB starter, yet his performance, particularly in Double-A last season, has been underwhelming, concluding with a 5.07 ERA and a 2-6 record. Despite some incremental improvements, they have not been consistently promising enough to solidify his place as a major league pitcher.
Although Leiter recently debuted for Texas against the Detroit Tigers, demonstrating glimpses of readiness for a permanent spot in the league, his overall performance fell short of expectations. He ended the outing with a dismal 17.18 ERA, conceding seven runs across four innings to a struggling Tigers lineup.
While Leiter still possesses the potential to become an All-Star in the future, the current risks associated with retaining him under contract outweigh the potential rewards. The Rangers boast several pitching prospects in their minor league system, such as Brock Porter and Kumar Rocker, who have exhibited greater promise than Leiter and are ranked ahead of him in the team’s prospect hierarchy.
Considering the uncertainty surrounding Leiter’s trajectory as a starting pitcher, General Manager Chris Young should seriously contemplate trading him, particularly while his market value remains substantial. There’s a possibility that Leiter could flourish elsewhere, akin to the success seen with Cole Ragans after being traded.
Ultimately, this approach minimizes the risk of Leiter failing to meet expectations and the Rangers being burdened with his contract without any trade interest.
Ezequiel Duran
Duran emerged as a crucial contributor last season, playing a pivotal role for the Rangers and helping maintain the team’s competitiveness following Corey Seager’s early injury setback. However, this year, Duran has failed to replicate his previous performance, with his batting average plummeting to a mere .213 compared to last season’s .276 mark.
Hopes were high for Duran to sustain his impactful play, particularly while filling in for the injured Josh Jung at third base. Surprisingly, Josh Smith has assumed the majority of the duties at third base during Jung’s absence and has notably improved offensively, currently boasting the second-highest on-base percentage on the team.
With the emergence of Smith and promising young infielders like Justin Foscue and Davis Wendzel, Duran’s role in the Rangers’ infield appears uncertain. Despite being just 24 years old, Duran still possesses potential and could serve as an everyday player for a team with less depth than the Rangers.
In such a scenario, exploring a mutually beneficial trade deal could be advantageous, providing Duran with an opportunity to rejuvenate his career elsewhere while bringing value back to the Rangers.