MLB

Who Should the Texas Rangers Target at the Trade Deadline?

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May 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Texas Rangers pinch hitter Joc Pederson (3) watches the video board with Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) and home plate umpire John Tumpane (74) after challenging a pitch call in the seventh inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
May 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Texas Rangers pinch hitter Joc Pederson (3) watches the video board with Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) and home plate umpire John Tumpane (74) after challenging a pitch call in the seventh inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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The Rangers have been trying to recapture the glory they achieved in 2023 for the past three years now.

While this season hasn’t been the roaring success that 2023 was, the Rangers find themselves in a very interesting spot, sitting atop the American League West post-All-Star break.

With the rest of the AL West under .500, the Rangers are in a position where they can add at the deadline and get into the postseason as the winner of a weaker division. If they can get in, anything can happen from there.

With that in mind, here are five players the Rangers can target at the August 3 trade deadline.

Luis Arraez, 2B, San Francisco Giants

Regarded as one of the most consistent hitters in baseball, Arraez is still that, even with the struggling Giants. Arraez is posting a triple slash of .320/.359/.446.

Coming off his fourth All-Star appearance in five years, Arraez could be the missing piece to a Rangers offense that is 22nd in runs scored.

With Arraez on a one-year deal, and the Giants in fourth place in the NL West, San Francisco could certainly be more than willing to deal Arraez to Texas.

Joe Ryan, SP, Minnesota Twins

The Rangers’ starting pitching has been inconsistent, to say the least. Kumar Rocker leads the team with five scoreless starts this season, yet has a 3-8 record with a 4.13 ERA.

The team traded away five prospects in the offseason for All-Star MacKenzie Gore. The move has not panned out yet, with Gore at a 4.80 ERA.

Joe Ryan’s ERA currently sits at 3.38, better than any pitcher in Texas’ starting rotation.

A team needs reliable pitching down the stretch of a season; look at the performances of Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery in 2023. Ryan can easily anchor a rotation that’s seen its ups and downs.

Luke Weaver/A.J. Minter, RP, New York Mets

The Achilles heel of the Rangers under Chris Young has been the bullpen. Even during the championship season, the bullpen left a lot to be desired.

While not the flashiest pick-ups, both Luke Weaver and A.J. Minter sport sub-2 ERAs. That’s better than every Rangers reliever not named Jacob Latz.

With the Mets appearing to be in a fire sale mode after this disappointing season, a deal for either of these pitchers would make sense for both sides.

Tyler Rogers, RP, Toronto Blue Jays

Tyler Rogers is in a similar position to the previously mentioned players Weaver and Minter. He’s one of the best relievers on a team in Toronto that has failed to live up to the hype of last season.

Rogers’ 1.58 ERA is nearly as good as All-Star closer Latz’s 1.53 ERA.

With a lack of a great high-leverage reliever, Rogers could easily be that for Texas down the stretch.

Hunter Goodman, C, Colorado Rockies

One of the lone bright spots of the Colorado Rockies the past two seasons, Hunter Goodman would be incredible for the Rangers.

Other than Joc Pederson and Jake Burger, the lineup lacks a true home-run power hitter. Goodman would be exactly that, as he’s smashed 31 home runs so far in 2026 for Colorado, 14 more than both Pederson and Burger.

Of all the players on this list, Goodman would be the player who would provide the biggest boost of energy to this team to make a push for the postseason for the Rangers at the trade deadline.

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Written by
Alex Salazar

Having lived in the DFW area his entire life, Alex Salazar has developed deep expertise in DFW sports, particularly the NFL, NBA and MLB. He is a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks. Alex is a sports journalism major at the University of North Texas and a writer and contributor for The Lead. His work centers on clear, accessible coverage and film breakdowns, with the goal of helping build The Lead into a polished and professional digital sports media outlet.

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