It has been a rough go for the Texas Rangers of late.
At 35-65, the team is firmly in the basement in the American League West, and the record might get even worse down the stretch once the deadline sell is complete.
The Rangers are currently suffering through a 12-game losing streak.
The skid has taken the season from bad to worse.
Most fans simply want the year to end, but before that happens, there is some business the team needs to take care of.
What should the rest of the season have in store for Texas?
Trade Ian Kennedy
Ian Kennedy will almost certainly be on the move within the next few days, as he is set to hit free agency after the season and is working on a stellar campaign.
Out of the bullpen, he has a 2.59 ERA, 3.79 FIP, and 1.09 WHIP over 31 appearances.
If you don’t recall, Kennedy was a starter for most of his MLB tenure.
His transition to the bullpen has revitalized his career.
The righty is going to make a contending team very happy with what he brings to the table.
The #Dodgers have interest in acquiring Ian Kennedy of the #Rangers.
— MLB News Network (@newsnetworkmlb) July 23, 2021
He is one of the better relievers on the market this year.
Check The Market On Kyle Gibson
It would be painful to see Kyle Gibson go, but fielding offers for him is the least the Rangers could do.
Gibson is under contract through the 2022 season, so he would be more than just a rental wherever he lands.
That’s a blessing and a curse.
On one hand, the fact that he’s locked up for multiple years could make for a nice trade return.
On the other hand, once you start trading away players who are under contract beyond the current season, you’re essentially punting on next year, too.
But realistically, Texas isn’t going to contend in 2022, so trading away Gibson might be the right thing to do.
This season, he has a 2.87 ERA, 3.75 FIP, and 1.18 WHIP across 19 starts.
He was named an All-Star earlier this summer.
Check The Market On Joey Gallo
Like Gibson, Joey Gallo isn’t a free agent until after the 2022 season, so the Rangers will really have to think this one through.
Trading Gallo seems like a smart move at this point.
His value is at a high, and he would likely warrant a nice return.
Jeff Passan on ESPN Baseball Tonight “Joey Gallo is likely to get dealt this week”
— Colin Smith (@colinsmith24) July 25, 2021
The 27-year-old was named to his second All-Star team this season amid a strong campaign.
He has an OPS of .864, an OPS+ of 138, and a WAR of 3.9.
He has homered 24 times in 94 games, and he is also getting on base at an outstanding .380 clip.
There will be a handful of teams looking to add the slugger, and it will be up to the Rangers to decide whether or not they want to part ways with the homegrown kid.
Try To Avoid A 100-Loss Season
For all intents and purposes, this would be a meaningless accomplishment, but avoiding 100 losses means might mean something to the psyche of the team.
If the Rangers go 26-34 over their final 60 games, they’ll avoid the 100-loss plateau.
That seems like a very reasonable goal for the remainder of the campaign.
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