The Texas Rangers are 33-52, dead last in the American League West division.
They are also 19 games behind the leaders, the Houston Astros.
They won’t contend in 2021, so it makes sense for them to be sellers at the deadline.
Here are some players they should be looking to unload for good returns before the July 30 deadline.
3. Joey Gallo
By now, teams are familiarized with Joey Gallo’s skillset, so there will be no surprises.
He is an extremely powerful hitter, capable of hitting 40 home runs any given season, and extremely patient at the plate, which is good for his on-base percentage.
He has, however, notorious issues making contact, as evidenced by his 31.5 percent strikeout rate and his low .233 average.
However, his line so far (.233/.387/.492) is quietly very productive, and judging by the numbers, it’s 43 percent better production than his peers (143 wRC+, or Weighted Runs Created Plus).
Gallo can play first base, third base, and outfield, even center field, so he’s valuable as a defender, too.
Overall, he leads the Rangers with 3.1 Wins Above Replacement, or WAR.
The 3.1 is one of the best outputs by a player in the season.
The Rangers don’t absolutely have to trade Gallo because he has an extra year of eligibility beyond 2021, but his value won’t be any higher.
Joey Gallo is on FIRE of late. Batting .333 with 6 home runs in the last week. .308 over the last 2 weeks.
Just in time for trade talks. Where would be a good fit for him? I say the Mets or the Padres
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) July 1, 2021
This is their moment: a 27-year-old thumper with the ability to adequately field multiple positions and won’t be around when the Rangers can field a very, very good team again should be dealt this season.
2. Ian Kennedy
The 36-year-old Ian Kennedy has proven he still has plenty left in the tank as a major leaguer.
After struggling in 2020, he has a 2.86 ERA in 28.1 innings in 2021.
He is, however, not seen as part of the Rangers future, so the team would be smart to trade him to a contender willing to offer a mid-level prospect in return.
Kennedy is affordable, too, so his trade value is actually quite nice.
Teams are always looking for relievers, and Kennedy makes sense for a contender.
The Rangers are not going to compete in 2021 and Kennedy’s deal is up after the season, so there is little incentive to keep him.
1. Kyle Gibson
Kyle Gibson is not too young, at 33 years old, and doesn’t have the best track record of success in the majors.
However, he does have an excellent performance in the 2021 season, with a 1.98 ERA.
Texas should go ahead and trade him for several reasons.
First of all, he will be declining by the time the Rangers are ready to be a top contender again.
Second, there are some metrics suggesting that Gibson is performing a little above his head, such as his low .243 BABIP, his 3.42 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP), and his 3.93 expected FIP.
If the Rangers want to get a haul for Gibson, they might as well trade him now.
– Ideal trade partner: Texas Rangers. Joey Gallo can play center and Kyle Gibson has been GREAT this year. Obviously we probably won’t get both (or either) but those two are on the top of my list of guys I want in a Phillies uniform.
— Maarten Tate (@maartentate) June 30, 2021
There are several teams looking for upgrades in their rotation, and not a whole lot of options to choose from.
Gibson is good and Texas did well to help him resurrect his career.
But the moment to cash in is now, considering he is 33 and will be a free agent after 2022.
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