The Texas Rangers did little at the trade deadline this season. They will elect to take their underperforming World Series roster into the doldrums of August. The Rangers will rely on the pieces that won them a title last season to try to make the playoffs this season. The Rangers are in third place despite the Mariners wallowing in mediocrity and the Astros struggling immensely out the gate.
The Rangers have failed to build momentum at any point during the season. They traded prospect pitchers Chase Lee and Joseph Montalvo for hefty lefty reliever Andrew Chafin. Chafin is bearded and amiable. He excels at getting lefties out. The Rangers bullpen has been decent this season. Chafin will help fill the void left by Brock Burke.
The Rangers traded solid starter Michael Lorenzen to the Royals for lefty reliever Walter Pennington. Lorenzen was very solid in Texas. He is being traded because Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle are expected back. Neither can be expected to stay healthy. The Rangers did not trade any of their other starting pitchers.
The Rangers have played like a team that does not care all season. This is not likely to change. The roster basically didn’t.
