The question for teams like the Rangers at this time of year is whether to buy or sell, especially given their current standing of 51-55 after a strong five-game winning streak was followed by a three-game sweep by Toronto. Texas faces a choice: either shed assets and retool for the next season when they’ll start the year in better health and potentially benefit from Bruce Bochy’s pattern of winning World Series in alternate years, or bring in reinforcements to strengthen their first-ever title defense before the postseason slips away.
However, the binary choice of buying or selling isn’t always clear-cut. The Rangers have opted to do both over the past 24 hours, first acquiring catcher Carson Kelly from Detroit in exchange for two mid-level prospects, then trading starter Michael Lorenzen to Kansas City for minor-league reliever Walter Pennington.
The trade for Kelly represents a clear win-now move. At 30 years old and set to become a free agent at the end of the year, Kelly offers a significant upgrade over Jonah Heim, hitting right-handed pitching far better (.238/.323/.415 with a 110 wRC+ for Kelly versus .233/.280/.342 with a 73 wRC+ for Heim). Kelly also contributes positively in the field, making him a valuable addition to address an immediate need. This trade is considered smart deadline buying, especially since neither of the prospects sent to Detroit—Tyler Owens or Liam Hicks—are top-30 assets in the Rangers’ farm system.
The deal involving Lorenzen is more complex. Acquired as a fallback option after losing Jordan Montgomery in free agency, Lorenzen has delivered a respectable 3.81 ERA in 18 starts. Despite his solid performance, the Rangers have decided to trade him now, which is surprising given their rotation’s recent struggles. Lorenzen’s recent performance includes a rocky start followed by a strong relief appearance, which highlights his value.
However, Lorenzen is on a one-year deal, and with the rotation nearing full strength—Max Scherzer and Dane Dunning returning, Tyler Mahle expected to debut soon, and Jacob deGrom potentially back later in the season—selling him now makes sense. The return, Walter Pennington, is intriguing and could prove valuable for the future.
Aside from a brief stint with Aroldis Chapman last year (also acquired from the Royals), the Rangers have been lacking a quality left-handed bullpen option for the past two seasons. Their best attempt so far has been Jacob Latz, a 28-year-old with inconsistent command and shaky peripheral stats. If Walter Pennington can provide a long-term solution, then trading a few months of Michael Lorenzen’s service is well worth it, especially if the rotation becomes crowded. Additionally, if Pennington can contribute sooner than expected and boost the team down the stretch, it would be a win-now and win-later move for a front office that has made mostly successful decisions over the past two years.
We’ll see how things unfold and if more trades are on the horizon. I’d bet there will be.