The Texas Rangers just barely missed out on making the playoffs this season, falling short on the final day of the regular season.
Texas lost out on the American League East division title, seeing the Houston Astros take the crown instead. This marks another year where the Rangers are sitting at home watching the postseason, which has been frustrating for this group.
So for the Rangers, this coming offseason is one of the more crucial in recent memory, and there is expected to be a lot of changes. Texas has to add more power to the lineup, giving the offense more of a consistent presence throughout the year.
Texas Linked to Star Catcher
Texas’s offense caused a lot of issues a year ago, and at times, the team looked lost on the field. This is one of the bigger reasons why they missed the playoffs, and the front office will have to address this over the winter.
In a new trade proposal from Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, the Rangers do land a star catcher to help with the offense next season. Miller has the Rangers trading with the Colorado Rockies for All-Star Hunter Goodman, giving them a legitimate option at the position moving forward.
Here is how the proposed deal looks, according to Miller:
Texas Rangers receive: C Hunter Goodman
Rockies receive: RHP Caden Scarborough (High-A prospect), RHP AJ Russell (High-A prospect), and C Malcolm Moore (Double-A prospect)
“For Texas, the catcher spot in the lineup was a season-long struggle and they have both Elias Díaz and Kyle Higashioka hitting free agency. They’re also slated to lose primary DH Joc Pederson, so a slugging C/DH would be a huge pickup for them.
“They’re also pretty firmly in a “now or never” spot with their roster construction—Jacob deGrom turns 39 in June; Nathan Eovaldi turns 37 in February and has just one year left on his contract—and might be desperate enough to part with several of their top prospects,” Miller wrote.
Should Rangers Make the Trade?
If this trade is on the table, the Rangers should absolutely jump all over it to get the deal done. Goodman is exactly the type of player that this team could use to help get them back into the postseason next year.
The All-Star is arbitration-eligible through the 2029 season, giving the Rangers a star on the roster for a few more seasons. With the core that Texas already has in place, adding Goodman could help this group get over the hump in the AL next season.
Goodman has the talent that can translate to any park in the big leagues, and he hit 60 percent of his home runs outside of Coors Field this year. Overall, the Rangers should be looking to add someone like Goodman, and the Rockies have already discussed trades for the All-Star at the deadline over the summer, opening the door to a possible offseason trade.
Rangers Predicted to Land Star Catcher to Bolster Offense