New Trade Partner Might Be Emerging for Pirates

Despite being below .500 much like the Pirates, who are a half-game better at 56-57, the Rangers are just 2 1/2 games out of first place in the AL West.

Still, it seems they're willing and open to selling, so perhaps there's a deal out there to be made between Texas and Pittsburgh.

Under-the-Radar Pieces the Pirates Could Target from the Rangers

The Pirates aren't going to land any of Texas' big-money players such as Jacob deGrom, Corey Seager or Nathan Eovaldi, among others.

None of the Rangers' veterans in their lineup, such as Joc Pederson or Jake Burger, are great fits for Pittsburgh either.

Where the Pirates could look, though, is to Texas' bullpen amidst their ongoing search for reinforcements.

All-Star closer Jacob Latz would take a haul to acquire, as he's logged a 1.80 ERA with 51 strikeouts over 50 innings and is under club control through the 2030 season.

Should Latz be out of the question for Pittsburgh, two names that could pique the organization's interest at a lower price tag would be right-hander Peyton Gray and lefty Tyler Alexander.

At age 31, Gray is in his first big-league season after first entering the professional ranks as an undrafted free agent with the Colorado Rockies in 2018.

Across 35 outings and 42 1/3 innings for the Rangers, Gray has posted a 3.40 ERA with 45 strikeouts and a 3.26 FIP. The average velocity on his fastball is just 92.9 mph, but he boasts a stellar 6.6 percent walk rate with an elite hard-hit rate against of 31.7 percent.

As for Alexander, he's in his eighth major league campaign and his first in Texas. The 32-year-old owns a 3.35 ERA and 2.87 FIP across 48 1/3 innings.

Alexander excels at keeping the ball on the ground, doing so at a 54.4 percent rate this season, and he limits hard contact while also exhibiting fantastic command with a 6.3 percent walk rate.

Gray's cost to acquire exceeds Alexander's considering he just started accruing service time this year and is in pre-arbitration while the latter is a rental who will reach free agency this upcoming offseason.

Still, either player would instantly provide a nice boost to the Pirates' bullpen and are both worth targeting over the next couple of hours.