Pitchers Cashner, Miller drawing interest from Rangers

The trade deadline is two weeks away, falling on Aug. 1 this year, and the Texas Rangers have started engaging multiple teams with available starting pitching.

A baseball source said Sunday that the Rangers are looking at three Tampa Bay starting pitchers, though not Chris Archer, and are also interested in San Diego right-hander Andrew Cashner.

Rays left-handers Matt Moore and Drew Smyly and righty Jake Odorizzi are on the Rangers’ radar. Each would come with club control beyond 2016 and would likely require the Rangers to part with multiple prospects, whereas Cashner is headed toward free agency and would come with a smaller hit to the farm system.

The Rangers are intrigued by Cashner despite his 5.05 ERA for the Padres, But he allowed only one run in six innings Friday to open the second half, and they like his Texas roots as a native of Conroe and from his TCU days.

The Rangers also believe he would be a good fit with pitching coach Doug Brocail.

Relievers aren’t as much of a priority as starters, but the Rangers and New York Yankees have discussed a deal involving Andrew Miller. The lefty would be owed the prorated portion of his $9 million contract this year as well as $9 million each of the next two seasons.

The Rangers would like the Yankees to take on part of Miller’s salary, but that could become a sticking point.

If a deal for Miller doesn’t materialize, the Rangers could attempt to pluck a reliever in the same package for a starter as they did last year, when they acquired Jake Diekman as part of the Cole Hamels deal with Philadelphia.

Thinking deep

Right-hander A.J. Griffin has felt fine since coming off the disabled list June 24, and he has posted a 3.38 ERA in four starts since being activated.

But he has logged only 18 1/3 innings, an average of fewer than five innings per outing, and he wants to change that Monday to open a three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels.

“I just want to go out there, attack the zone, making my pitches, keep us in the game and hopefully go seven or eight innings,” Griffin said. “I’m just looking to attack the zone and get this going in the right direction.”

High early pitch counts have slowed Griffin, as well as just about every other Rangers starter. Griffin said that he has seen too many of his pitches fouled away and that he needs to put away hitters more quickly.

“We haven’t been doing as good a job at executing our put-away pitches,” Griffin said. “We’ve got such a good team here and good pitching staff, I feel like if we just stay with the process, things will take care of themselves.”

One ready, one not

Manager Jeff Banister said that Kyle Lohse will be the Rangers’ starter Tuesday at Anaheim after the right-hander navigated a bullpen session Saturday without any issues with his strained oblique.

Lohse would be making his second start since being called up from Triple A Round Rock. He allowed six runs in five innings July 9 against Minnesota.

“I came out of the bullpen feeling good, just minimal soreness,” Lohse said. “I feel good where we’re at and am ready to go get them. I’m going to take it as long as Banny allows me to take it.”

Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo was out of the lineup for the third straight game to open the second half, and spent much of the morning in the clubhouse getting work done on his stiff lower back.

Throwing is more of an issue for Choo than swinging a bat or running, Banister said.

This story was originally published July 17, 2016 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Pitchers Cashner, Miller drawing interest from Rangers."