Texas Rangers Positioned to Land Premier Pitching at Winter Meetings
The Texas Rangers could have much more clarity on their pitching staff for 2024 this week. With the Winter Meetings happening, the futures of several pitchers linked to the World Series champions may be decided by the time team executives pack up and leave Nashville on Wednesday.
MLB.com insiders Mark Feinsand and Jon Paul Morosi tackled six questions looming over the Winter Meetings.
White Sox starter Dyan Cease is rumored to be on the move during the Winter Meetings.
Several answers related to the Rangers, who should be among the more active clubs in Music City. And they all had to do with pitching.
When it comes to the major free agent most likely to sign this week, Feinsand went with of the Texas’ postseason heroes.
Jordan Montgomery. Unlike Blake Snell, Montgomery isn’t necessarily waiting for Yamamoto to sign in order to set a market for his own deal. We’ve already seen Aaron Nola, Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda sign new deals this offseason, so there’s no reason to think Montgomery won’t do the same. Plenty of teams with money to spend need starting pitching, so Montgomery should have a number of suitors. If he finds a deal he likes with the right team, I think he could come off the board this week.
The Rangers definitely want the left-hander back, but the competition will be fierce. A number of teams would love to slot Montgomery into a lead role in their rotations.
In addition to free agency, the trade market could be an attractive play for the world champs. Two pitchers who could be dealt this week have been rumored as potential Texas targets.
Feinsand: Tyler Glasnow. The Rays don’t tend to mess around when they have an objective, and in this case, it’s shedding Glasnow’s $25 million salary. I have heard from other executives that he will “definitely” be traded, and if that’s the case, I would expect president of baseball operations Erik Neander to move quickly. This doesn’t strike me as a situation that will drag into 2024.
Morosi: Dylan Cease. I was told recently that the Cease trade talks have intensified, and a deal could happen while we’re in Nashville. The Braves -- Cease’s hometown team -- are among the finalists to land him. The Giants and Dodgers are possible suitors, as well, depending on the outcome of their free-agent pitching pursuits.
If the Rangers depart Nashville with either Montgomery, Glasnow or Cease in tow, the Winter Meetings will have been a grand ole success.
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