3 early Texas Rangers trade targets ahead of 2025 deadline

The Texas Rangers won the World Series in 2023, and are one of the more talented teams in Major League Baseball. Bruce Bochy is one of the league’s best managers, but is struggling to get the team back on track. They are near the bottom of the American League West, only a couple of games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels.

Even though they recently won a title, the Rangers are in a tough spot heading into the second full month of the season. At this point, one of the options in front of them is to upgrade their roster via trade. Teams on the brink of contention are aggressive as the trade deadline grows closer, and the Rangers fit the bill this season. Fans expect them to make some kind of move to address the holes in their roster.

Looking at Texas’ roster, there are three positions that could use a boost. Jonah Heim has a better batting average than most other catchers in the majors, but the Rangers don’t have a solid option outside of him, especially with Kyle Higashioka continuing to recover from injury. Josh Smith’s power is underwhelming at first base and closer Luke Jackson’s ERA is cause for concern.

Here are three players the Rangers could target as the trade deadline grows closer.

Minnesota Twins Catcher Christian Vazquez

Christian Vazquez has 11 years of experience in MLB with three different teams. This season, he finds himself sitting behind Ryan Jeffers on the Twins depth chart. He’s played in just 19 games so far this season and has the lowest batting average of his career. However, he is capable contributing with his bat and his glove when given the opportunity to as the everyday starter.

The Rangers have Heim, who is a good option behind the plate, but the depth behind him is a concern. Higashioka is a serviceable backup, but Bochy knows how important it is to have options at catcher when making a deep run in the postseason. Vazquez is much more defensively-minded at this stage in his career, which would be an asset late in close games.

The Twins are a team that could easily be buyers or sellers depending on how the next couple months of their season go. On paper, they have the talent to compete in the AL, but injuries and inconsistency have held them back. That combined with the fact that their division has three likely playoff teams ahead of them, could put Minnesota in a position where their only option is to sell their talent and prepare for the future.

Washington Nationals First Baseman Josh Bell

Josh Bell is an annual participant in trade rumors. The 32-year-old has been traded three times in the last four years, bouncing around the league. While some teams see this as concerning, others could see it as a good sign. Bell’s skills are enticing to contenders each season, and he is almost always pursued around the deadline. He brings ten years of major league experience with him as well as consistent play every game.

His 2025 is off to a poor start for the Nationals in the 32 games he’s played in. His batting average is a career-low and he isn’t swinging with as much power as Washington would like him to. In his defense, the Nationals are asking a lot of him, depending on him and Nathaniel Lowe to provide the bulk of the offense alongside James Wood and CJ Abrams.

Washington’s depth at first base, combined with their desire to open up more opportunities for their young players, make them a prime candidate to sell some of their pieces on the trade market. Bell is one of the first names on the list, and the Rangers could be the next team to decide that he is worth giving a chance to. If they are lucky, they can help him revive his offensive game and get it back to where it was when he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

St. Louis Cardinals Reliever Ryan Helsley

While the Cardinals are having trouble moving on from Nolan Arenado, Ryan Helsley will have many trade suitors. The 30-year-old closer is coming off the best season of his seven year career, notching 49 saves in 2024. Despite the Cardinals being within arm’s reach of the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs, Helsley’s opportunities at the end of games have been limited.

If he were to join a team that is regularly in tight games, Helsley’s value shines. His 3.46 ERA is higher than his previous three seasons, but playing with Texas could be the change he needs. He and Jackson would form an effective duo in the Rangers bullpen, giving Bochy confidence if his team goes through a stretch of games that go down to the wire.

Despite a slow start to the season, Texas is still a team capable of contending with the best teams in MLB. However, striking smart deals at the deadline could give them the push they need to string wins together and climb to the top of their division. If they can build momentum, they could ride it all the way to another championship.