For those scoring at home, Rangers lose 8-5. For those monitoring trades, consider this
No offense to the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners, but what they did Tuesday on the field at Globe Life Park wasn’t the most important thing happening.
For the record, the Mariners got out to a big lead, the Rangers tied it, and the Mariners immediately regained a cozy lead that they wouldn’t surrender in an 8-5 victory.
Danny Santana homered (again) and Rougned Odor went 2 for 4 with a two-run double in a four-run sixth that forged a 5-5 tie, but Ariel Jurado was ineffective over four innings and Taylor Guerrieri coughed up three runs in the seventh.
As the Rangers were falling behind 4-0, news broke that they had made a deal ahead of the Wednesday trade deadline.
That and what will happen until 3 p.m. Wednesday are what matters most.
Here’s some Rangers Reaction from Tuesday.
Trade or hold Santana?
If teams are calling on Santana, it’s entirely possibly one of them throws a deal at general manager Jon Daniels that he can’t refuse.
The Rangers got him for nothing, relative to what players can make, and this might be the best he ever plays.
But the Rangers got him for nothing, and this might not be the best he ever plays.
He is under club control for two more seasons, and the Rangers have needs in 2020 that he could address. For instance, he could probably handle third base even though he has barely played there in his career.
The Rangers must think he can, because he has been working out there.
Santana is the kind of the player Daniels is trying to acquire, a controllable big leaguer. Why give that up?
The guess here is a team would have to bowl over Daniels to get Santana.
Pence next?
Hunter Pence’s name popped up some more in the rumor noise on Twitter, and the outfielder has only a pinch-hitting appearance in the past two games.
That might suggest the Rangers are holding him out because they are actively discussing him with other clubs, or maybe the groin strain that landed him on the injured list late last month is barking again.
Like Santana, the Rangers got Pence essentially for nothing and have gotten the maximum out of him. In addition, he’s considered the consummate teammate and has a nose for winning.
His presence could serve a contender well.
The Rangers, though, acquired him just for those qualities and hoped they would rub off on the young players on the roster. They have so far, and more young players are expected the rest of the season.
If the groin is still an issue — he hasn’t played the outfield since coming off the IL on June 16 — he wouldn’t be as good of an immediate fit on a National League team.
His market could be limited.
Martin to Braves
As is often the case, it stinks when a good guy is traded. Chris Martin is good guy, so do the math.
The right-hander and, like Pence, an Arlington native was traded to the Atlanta Braves for left-hander Kolby Allard, a former first-round pick (14th overall in 2015) who turns 22 on Aug. 13. He can’t be a free agent until 2025.
This could be a terrific deal, though it’s always worth wondering why a team would give up on a young starting pitcher they used their first-round pick on for a relief pitcher who can be a free agent after the season.
Could it be his back? Allard had back surgery after his first season in 2015 for a stress reaction, however it appears he has been healthy since.
Speaking of pain in the back, how would you like to be Chris Woodward trying to manage the bullpen the rest of the season without Martin?
Four rookies pitched in relief of Jurado, and another seems likely to come from Nashville to take Martin’s place. What happened Tuesday to the bullpen (four runs) won’t the last time.
Yikes.
