Surprise Addition Makes Rangers Dangerous Team in Potential Playoff Series

The Texas Rangers have firmly established themselves as a playoff contender this season, and their moves at the trade deadline indicate they are going to be making a run at it.

With the Rangers right in the mix, the American League West is shaping up to be a great race down the stretch. All three teams were able to improve, with the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners both focusing on improving their lineups.

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Both were able to accomplish that with some big names going to each team. The Astros reunited with Carlos Correa to help provide a spark and provide them with some insurance if Isaac Paredes misses the rest of the year.

For the Mariners, they got arguably the biggest prize at the trade deadline with the acquisition of Eugenio Suarez. The All-Star slugger has been one of the best hitters in baseball this campaign and could be exactly what Seattle has been missing.

The Rangers went in a different direction than those two. Texas added two arms for their bullpen and then made a shocking addition to their starting rotation.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the performance of the Rangers at the trade deadline.

“The decision to not address the lack of a closer immediately bit Texas in the butt on Friday night. But if that trio of starters stays healthy, Godspeed to teams facing this rotation in October.”

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One of the biggest surprises at the trade deadline was Texas acquiring Merrill Kelly from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Starting pitching didn’t figure to be a need at all for the Rangers, but the team elected to build on a strength.

Adding Kelly gives Texas one of the best trios in the league, with the veteran joining Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom.

So far this campaign, Kelly has totaled a 9-6 record and 3.22 ERA. Even though he is capable of being a front-end starter for most contenders, he will be the number three starter for the Rangers, showcasing the talent that the unit has.

While adding the 36-year-old improves the rotation quite a bit, Texas does still have an issue at the back of their bullpen. Closer figured to be a need for the Rangers, but acquiring a player like Ryan Helsley or David Bednar might not have been realistic for Texas.

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With one of the best rotations in all of baseball now, Texas will be leaning heavily on this unit for the next two months. The race for first place in the AL West will be an exciting one, and the Rangers are well-positioned with their excellent unit.

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