Could Texas Rangers Fix Bullpen, Rotation With White Sox Trade?

The Texas Rangers could be looking for more bullpen help, even after acquiring potential closer Aroldis Chapman from the Kansas City Royals on Friday.

But they may have a starting pitching need brewing, too.

Nathan Eovaldi is an All-Star. Jon Gray and Dane Dunning have been consistently good all season.

Andrew Heaney hasn’t worked six innings in a game in six starts, and while he didn’t give up a run in his five innings Sunday, he admitted his pitching hasn’t earned the confidence of manager Bruce Bochy, which he said played a role in not getting a sixth inning.

The Astros shelled Martín Pérez on Monday, as he gave up six runs and left having retired just four hitters. His ERA is nearly two points higher than last year’s team-best 2.89 and he’s already allowed more home runs (16) than last season (11).

The Rangers could try to address both needs with one deal with one team.

Which team has the kind of assets to do it? The Athletic had an idea in a piece about possible Rangers trade scenarios — the Chicago White Sox.

Chicago has a losing record but not out of the AL Central race because every team in the division is under .500.

What if the White Sox slip further out of the race? They might be inclined to deal, and if the Rangers are willing, would this trade work?

The Rangers send RHP Owen White, RHP Glenn Otto, IF Justin Foscue and OF Bubba Thompson to Chicago for right-handers Dylan Cease, Kendall Graveman and Joe Kelly.

Per The Athletic:

With the deal, the Rangers rotation would be headed by Eovaldi, Gray and Cease — all three controllable through 2025 (when Eovaldi has a vesting option), when deGrom should be back for a full season — with one of Heaney, Pérez and Dunning joining Graveman and Kelly as additions to the bullpen in the meantime.

It’s quite a haul for Chicago, which would get the Rangers’ top pitching prospect in White, one of its top infield prospects in Foscue, and two players with MLB experience in Otto and Thompson.

The value for the Rangers is that not only is Cease under team control through 2025, but so is Graveman, who will earn $8 million next season. Kelly’s contract has a club option in 2024 worth $9.5 million but also has a $1 million buyout if the Rangers need an out.

The Rangers would give up future assets but would set up their pitching staff for not just a playoff push this season, but another run in 2024.

That’s if the price is right, of course.

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