As Rangers end trip with a loss, thoughts of the trade deadline swirl through press box
The hot tempers that flared Saturday night had cooled off by Sunday afternoon, when the Texas Rangers and Oakland A’s finished off their four-game series.
One possible reason? A’s center fielder Ramon Laureano was given the day off.
He was the main instigator in a contentious game that eventually saw him hit by a pitch and both benches cleared.
Laureano was ticked at Adrian Sampson from a June stomp of his bat. Laureano hit a homer off Sampson in the sixth inning, walked halfway down the first-base line while asking Sampson if he’d like to step on his bat again.
A’s manager Bob Melvin might not have wanted to make Laureano a bull’s-eye for any Rangers pitcher. That probably wouldn’t have happened, but better safe than sorry.
Here’s some Rangers Reaction from a 6-5 walk-off loss
Trade-crazed writers
Reporters are supposed to question why things happen, and with the trade deadline looming, two things that happened in the ninth inning piqued the beat writers’ interest.
Danny Santana, the second fastest player on the team, was removed for a slower pinch runner, Logan Forsythe.
Jose Leclerc pitched the ninth even though it was his third straight day of work and Chris Martin, the acting closer, had the day off Saturday.
Santana and Martin have both been mentioned as possible trade candidates. Their absences raised some suspicion, but, alas, no deals had been completed.
Manager Chris Woodward said that Santana is dealing with stiffness in his left calf, and Martin is dealing with stiffness in his lower back. Both should be ready Tuesday, when the Rangers open a five-game homestand.
“Tall people problems,” Martin said.
Leclerc ended up taking one for the team. He didn’t even know he was going to pitch Sunday until the ninth inning.
Pitching for a third straight day as he sought his first save since April l7, he retired only one hitter he faced, and he walked Khris Davis to bring home the winning run.
“I can’t tell you I was 100 percent, but when I’m out there I’m doing the best I can whether I’ve pitched three or four days in a row,” Leclerc said. “They asked me if I could throw, and I said yes. I told them I’m not 100 percent, but I can pitch.”
That raises a bunch of other questions. For instance, why are the relievers who weren’t used still on the team?
But it also doesn’t snuff out the notion the Rangers are working to trade Martin.
Did Mets help Rangers?
A starting pitcher who was expected to be traded by a selling team was in fact traded Sunday afternoon, to the 50-55, out-of-contention New York Mets.
Marcus Stroman was sent across the border by the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Mets acquired a pitcher who is under control for next season. The trade allows them flexibility to move Noah Syndergaard, the former Mansfield Legacy pitcher.
Mike Minor is under control for next season, and at $9.5 million will likely cost less than Stroman in his final year of salary arbitration.
There is one less pitcher available now with the same number of contenders. That could make Minor’s price tag climb ahead of the trade deadline.
Fewer supplies, same (or more) demand.
Of course, general manager Jon Daniels has to get a trade to the finish line. He told Minor things could go either way.
Minor must have been thinking, “Gee, thanks for clearing things up.”
Progress toward a Minor trade was still slow Sunday afternoon.
Minor cleared up some semantics Sunday. He wasn’t mad two weeks ago about the possibility of being traded. He was mad that the Rangers were even thinking about trading him or anyone as they were on the fringe of contending for the second wild card.
Now, he is resigned to being traded and has his mind ready for that news.
Road tripped
No matter how things turned out Sunday, the Rangers would remember their just-completed 10-day road trip as the one that tipped the scales toward being a seller at the trade deadline.
They went 3-7 on a trip that started with four straight losses to extended their losing streak to eight games. They head home for a Monday off day with their record at 52-52.
The Rangers were eight games above .500 after the first two games of the first half.
Pedro Payano pitched well Sunday in his first career start and clearly earned another. It’s not like the Rangers have a ton of options, plus they are considering shedding Minor by Wednesday’s deadline.
They might be motivated to move Lance Lynn.
The Rangers don’t have many other options beyond Payano. Triple A left-hander Joe Palumbo can’t pitched because of an injured left ankle, and Double A lefty Brock Burke has seen his season slowed by a blister and shoulder fatigue.
He has pitched well since coming off the injured list, and he is a pitcher Woodward would like to see in the majors at some point the final two months.
Taylor Hearn (elbow) isn’t going to be an option. Yohander Mendez (elbow) could be, but haven’t the Rangers seen enough of him?
Payano is in a good position, as long as he continues to pitch effectively.
Rangers have been trading
The Rangers have been busy in acquiring players this month via trade, just not any household names. But the three players who have been added are providing depth at the upper levels of the minors and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Nick Solak was acquired earlier in the month from the Tampa Bay Rays for right-hander Pete Fairbanks, and the expectation is the second baseman will be called up this season.
The Rangers made two waiver claims while in Oakland that add depth on the pitching side.
They struck a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, who had a really busy day. The Rangers sent cash or a player to be named for right-hander Ian Gibaut, who had been designated for assignment Tuesday.
He was optioned to Triple A Nashville, where he joined Thursday waiver claim Shane Carle. Another right-hander, Carle came from the Atlanta Braves.
They are different pitchers.
Gibaut throws two plus offerings that are suiting for late-innings relief work. He throws his fastball in the upper 90s, and his best off-speed pitch is a slider.
Carle, who pitched well for the Braves in 2018 over 53 appearances, doesn’t throw as hard as Gibaut, but is more versatile.
They jump to the top of the pecking order of relievers who could be called upon if the Rangers need a Nashville arm.
The players added so far this month might not pan out long-term, but the Rangers have added to a need area.
This story was originally published July 28, 2019 at 7:58 PM.
