Trade Idea Has Rangers Shipping Talented Infielder to Pirates

The Texas Rangers could be active in the trade market once again before the season starts.

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The Texas Rangers were quite busy in the early stages of the offseason. They got to work on reconstructing the coaching staff, hiring Skip Schumaker to be the new manager. The Rangers moved on from fan favorites, and swung a big trade with the New York Mets to acquire outfielder Brandon Nimmo.

After signing a pair of bullpen arms and catcher Danny Jansen, it has been quiet in Texas. However, this isn't too peculiar as majority of the league have been passive in their free agent pursuits. While the Rangers look to retool a struggling offense, could they consider another big trade with one of their infielders?

Could Josh Jung be Traded?

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Joel Reuter of bleacherreport.com outlined a trade idea for the Rangers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The trade sends Josh Jung to Pittsburgh in exchange for right handed pitcher Thomas Harrington.

Reuter writes, "Moving him [Jung] would create a path for top prospect Sebastian Walcott, who could be ready to debut in 2026 after spending a full season at Double-A last season."

Harrington was a former top 100 prospect, and made his debut in the big leagues last season. However, things didn't go well for the 24-year-old as he allowed 15 earned runs in three games. That is an extremely small sample size, so there is no reason to write him off. In Texas, he would be in the mix for the starting rotation.

Jung has battled injuries his entire career, but even after playing 131 games in 2025, he slashed .251/.294/.390. Like many players in this Rangers offense, he struggled to produce runs, and his power numbers took a massive dip. Schumaker expressed his confidence in the 27-year-old and he wants Jung to be feared once again.

Despite the struggles, moving Jung for this price would be a mistake. He is under team control until 2028, and he has obviously shown signs of being a talented hitter.

His defense has also remained strong throughout his career, which is extremely important at the hot corner. If Jung can tweak his approach at the plate and stay healthy, there is a path for him to return to the All-Star he was in 2023.

Texas should be in the market for young pitching. Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi won't be around forever, and after the Rangers gave away a lot of young arms at the trade deadline, they should be looking to build that area back up. However, making that move at the expense of Jung isn't ideal.

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