Predicting Rangers’ biggest move before MLB trade deadline

The Texas Rangers are a half-game ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the AL West early in the second half. It’s been a pillow fight out west all year long, and the team needs reinforcements to pull away. The Rangers should be buyers at the MLB trade deadline, and their biggest deal will be bringing in Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants.

The Rangers’ infield has changed a lot this season, with Josh Smith being sent down and Corey Seager hitting the injured list. Ezequiel Duran has been a star, filling in primarily at shortstop, and Nicky Lopez has played second base in recent weeks. Those players have been solid for Texas, but another strong infielder is needed.

The Rangers have a bevy of pitching in their prospect pipeline, which could be of interest to the Giants in a trade. Five of their top seven prospects are right-handed pitchers, with Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter already in the big leagues. They are not going to need all of these pitchers, but the Giants need to build a new rotation.

Arraez will be one of the better players dealt before the August 3 trade deadline. He has kept his batting average high while becoming a better defender at second base. Ron Washington is the infield coach with the Giants, and the Rangers certainly believe in his teachings. Washington was the manager when Texas went to the 2010 and 2011 World Series.

There will not be a lot of sellers at the trade deadline, as the American League Wild Card race is deep. So the Rangers will be competing with many teams, including the Mariners, for a new bat. If someone else grabs Arraez, where could Texas go? They may not land the Giants’ second baseman, but they need something.

The Rangers need a bat, even if it’s not Luis Arraez