Rangers' Jacob deGrom Trade Speculation Gets Definitive Insider Update

There is deGrom and the pitching staff, though. As bad as the offensive has been, no team has allowed fewer runs in the AL than the Rangers, either.

The two factors have led to a 29-34 record. Unsightly, though, it may be, Texas finds itself just 5 1/5 games out of first place in the AL West. So when the trade deadline nears, are they buying or selling.

The smart money, so to speak, is on the latter, according to MLB writer Jon Heyman. But the likelihood of the Rangers selling the farm is minimal.

"Do I think deGrom could get sold? No, because he's still under contract beyond this year," Heyman said. "Never going to rule anybody out, but I don't see that as a likelihood."

Instead, he said, the Rangers would more likely deal Tyler Mahle. He signed a two-year, $22-million deal in December 2023 and is set to be an unrestricted free agent. If Texas dealt him - and his 2.02 earned-run average and 1.065 WHIP over 71 1/3 inning so far will be appealing - the organization wouldn't run into the same problem they had last year when they held on to relievers Kirby Yates and David Robertson.

"They could have sold Yates and Robertson and gotten something decent for them," Heyman said. "Obviously, relievers, you're not going to get a haul, but could have gotten something. They stuck it out, ended up with 72 wins. Will they do it again? I think they probably will give it a shot in that division."