What’s up with the Texas Rangers? Two years after becoming World Series champions, the Rangers can’t even break above .500. They enter MLB games today with a 16-16 record, sitting in fourth place of the AL West.
But just because the Rangers are struggling early, it doesn’t mean they have to stay there. One potential solution could be to make an early, aggressive move ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Recently, Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly suggested the Rangers should make a push to trade for two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, whom he called “one of the crown jewels of the trade deadline.”
“The Texas Rangers make as much sense as anyone. They allowed Kirby Yates and José Leclerc to walk in free agency last winter, while David Robertson remains a free agent. Thus far, Luke Jackson, Chris Martin, Hoby Milner and Robert Garcia have helped the Rangers to be much better than anyone could have anticipated, as they are in the top 10 in bullpen ERA.
Still, it’s fair to think that if the Rangers want to not only win the AL West but also have a chance at their second title in three years, they’ll need to make a major addition to the bullpen this summer.”Bleacher Report on Texas Rangers/Ryan Helsley trade
Kelly goes on to state that this season is “as good of an opportunity as this group is going to get to win a second World Series together,” and naturally, Helsley would be a big part of that effort. No matter what, the Rangers need to try something different to climb out of the valley they’ve carved for themselves, and getting one of MLB’s best closers would certainly provide a spark.
Helsley will be a free agent at season’s end, and he’s currently making $8.2 million for the 2025 season. That’s a reasonable enough rate for any contending team to express interest. Plus, if the Cardinals don’t have plans to extend their star closer, trading him sooner than later should only deliver an even stronger trade return than the one they’re already in line to receive.
Related: New York Yankees trade prediction lands eight-time All-Star at key position
