What constitutes a bold trade? Is it what the Texas Rangers did last offseason?
The Rangers dealt Marcus Semien to the New York Mets for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. That was a salary swap for a younger outfielder. The Rangers also traded five prospects for left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore. That was bold in that president of baseball operations Chris Young gave up five Top 30 prospects for two years of control over Gore's rights.
Nimmo had a solid first year with the Rangers . Gore was uneven. If those were bold moves, they didn't lead to a playoff berth, which was the intended goal.
Young talked about why he hasn't traded off his Major League roster, aside from the Semien deal, the past three seasons. He felt he had a team that was a contender and that was trying to win. Now? Young still wants to win, but he may have to pursue other avenues to do it.
The bold move would be to trade off the Major League roster . But, again, what's bold?
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Rangers have more than $110 million tied up in five players. Three of them come off the books after the 2027 season. Nimmo and Corey Seager don't. Texas would love to shed some of that payroll.
Anytime a player of Seager's reputation gets traded, it's a bold move. Texas signed him to a 10-year deal. The expectation was that he would play that deal out in Texas. It doesn't always work that way. Of the five veterans that the Rangers have under contract, he's the one with the most value, which could yield the most in return.
The Rangers have needs. They need a better hitting outfielder. They need a starting pitcher. They need a reliever. They also need a team with the finances to take on most of Seager's salary. Right now, that eliminates all but a few teams. Seager can also veto any deal now that he has 10/5 rights.
So what's the play? The Rangers should go back to the team that inquired about Jacob deGrom - the Atlanta Braves - and take a swing at a big deal. Mauricio Dubon - who can play just about everywhere - is about to be a free agent. Ha-Seong Kim can play shortstop, but his bat was unresponsive this season. He is also a free agent.
The Braves appear to have a hole at shortstop and the Concord, N.C., native could fill it. Atlanta can also handle the payroll. The trick is what can the Rangers get out of the Braves? Their minor league system isn't top-heavy. Younger players like Ronald Acuna Jr. and Michael Harris II are under long-term deals. Spencer Strider is a huge injury risk given his history and Texas shouldn't touch him.
Texas may have to pry three prospects out of Atlanta, but they should be targeted at Double-A or above. The Rangers should ask for one of their Top 3 prospects - outfielder Eric Hartman, left-handed pitcher Cam Caminiti or middle infielder Tate Southisene. The last might be the play given the hole that Seager will leave at shortstop.
If it isn't Southisene then Texas could ask for Caminiti to bolster the pitching pipeline and then shortstop Alex Lodise, along with another pitcher that gives Texas another option for either the starting rotation or bullpen.
It may not be as bold as one might like, but it's smart to get as much as possible for Seager now as opposed to waiting. It addresses his replacement -if it's not Sebastian Walcott - and adds pitching that could help by 2028 when Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi come off the books.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers/onsi as One Bold Texas Rangers Trade That Actually Makes Sense .
