Cole Hamels is rumored to be among the suitors for the Rangers. Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
ANAHEIM, Calif. — With five days left before the trading deadline, the Texas Rangers have a chance to acquire one of baseball’s best left-handers.
Or, the Rangers could relinquish two of the mainstays of their starting rotation who will become free agents after the season. Or, the Rangers could do both. Or, they could do nothing.
With long-term cost control playing as much of a role as performance on the field, the Rangers’ situation remains fluid.
Texas appears to have an excellent chance of getting Philadelphia Phillies’ left-hander Cole Hamels, who pitched a no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. Hamels, 31, made the National League’s All-Star team three times. In 2008, he was named the most valuable player for both the NLCS and the World Series.
Hamels will not become a free agent until 2019. His contract provides him with a $23 million salary for each of the next four seasons.
The Rangers also have expressed interest in two of the San Diego Padres’ right-handed starters, Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross, a National League All-Star last year. Both will become eligible for
arbitration next year but Cashner will not become a free agent until 2017, with Ross following in 2018.
Cashner also has a cheaper salary this year than Ross does: $4.05 million to $5.25 million.
But two current members of the Rangers’ rotation, right-handers Yovani Gallardo and Colby Lewis, will become free agents after this season. Gallardo, acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in January, is earning $14 million this season, with the Brewers paying $4 million of that total.
Lewis, who will turn 36 on Aug. 2, is relatively inexpensive at $4 million. The right-hander, who rejoined the Rangers in 2010 after pitching for them from 2002 to 2004, ranks among the team’s career top 10 in starts, innings pitched, wins and strikeouts.
The Rangers might be more inclined to acquire pitching after their 13-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. Manager Jeff Banister not only saw right-hander Nick Martinez last just five-plus innings but also had to use five relievers. Among them was left-hander Wandy Rodriguez, who had not pitched since July 10 and made his first relief appearance of the year.
