Casual Rangers fans, whose last familiarity with this year’s team was some vague notion that 2015 wasn’t going nearly as poorly as expected, I have some news.
Things are now going about as poorly as expected. And the MLB end-of-July trade deadline approaches. But that doesn’t mean there will be a fire sale in Arlington, as usually happens when a team isn’t winning and needs a bit of rebuilding.
In fact, it’s been reported that Texas is a serious suitor for the services of Cole Hamels, still one of the game’s better pitchers but playing for the awful Phillies. Says Grantland:
This might seem curious for a team that’s five games under .500, with just two wins in its past 11, sitting 7.5 games behind the front-running Angels and closer to last place than to first. Except, it’s also a potentially logical move for a team that might have a wider variety of options for 2016 than anyone else.
The best-case scenario for 2016 and beyond includes a return to form for Martin Perez. The 24-year-old lefty made his long-awaited return Friday, lasting five innings against the Astros in his first start back from 2014 Tommy John surgery. As with Matt Moore and other pitchers returning from TJ, we should expect Perez to struggle with command for a while. But he still carries lots of upside, having fired three straight scoreless outings last April before the elbow injury and also notching some impressive results during his first full big league season in 2013. If Perez can return to full strength by Opening Day of next year, and if top-of-the-rotation starters Yu Darvish (Tommy John surgery; possible return: April 2016) and Derek Holland (shoulder injury; possible return: August 2015) can also heal as quickly as hoped, the Rangers would have a strong pitching foundation.
Add Hamels to that mix and the Rangers would immediately become an intriguing AL West sleeper against the perennially strong Angels and the up-and-coming Astros. If they could then re-sign Yovani Gallardo to, say, a four-year extension, you have a potential super-rotation. Combine that with another year of development for 2015 revelations Delino DeShields Jr. and Odor, along with young power-monger Joey Gallo, and you give Hamels a potential winning environment for the duration of his contract.
In baseball, hope springs eternal. Which can be a dangerous thing.
