Nolan Writin

The Athletic's Jim Bowden came out with a list of five trades he'd like to see before the trade deadline and featured the Texas Rangers landing a commonly suggested target in Luis Arraez. Bowden isn't the first to connect the dots between Arraez and the Rangers, with MLB Network's Jon Morosi and ESPN's Jeff Passan having banged the drum for Arraez to land in Arlington. The thing is, Arraez is a riskier target than many believe.

The August 3 trade deadline is nearing, and the Texas Rangers are in prime playoff position. The questions regarding whether the team will be buyers, sellers, or stand pat are answered. The Rangers will be searching for upgrades to some of their key needs. One of those needs resides in the starting rotation. Over the weekend, a "rumor" hit social media that got some fans in a tizzy.

Why not kill two birds with one stone if that option is available to you? The Texas Rangers have a handful of young two-way players who are catching the attention of everyone in the organization in Josh Owens and Seong-Jun Kim. Both are doing their thing in the ACL (Arizona Complex League). Owens was the third-round pick of the 2025 draft, and Kim signed with the Rangers out of high school in May of 2025 after having been South Korea's high school player of the year in 2024.

Can Brandon Nimmo catch just one break this season, please? The Texas Rangers' key offseason acquisition in the Marcus Semien deal with the New York Mets has amazing power statistics on Baseball Savant, but doesn't have the numbers to match. He has been the victim of more than a little bad luck that, if it were to turn and go his way for a while, would make his overall production at the plate look completely different.

The next 60 games will be huge for these players Jul 12, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson (3) hits an two-run double against the Houston Astros during the second inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect There are a handful of Ranger players who have a lot riding on the second half as the team battles for a postseason berth.

Right-handed power hitters are an area of need for the majority of potential buyers at the trade deadline on August 3. The Cincinnati Reds are 43-52 and have such a player who has been tied to the Texas Rangers in recent rumors. Former GM and baseball insider Jim Bowden believes that utility man extraordinaire Spencer Steer would look good in a Ranger uniform and that they should make a concerted effort to acquire him.

The Texas Rangers got shelled by the Atlanta Braves last night, starting the second half of the season in the worst way possible. The good feelings from the run heading into the All-Star break were dampened in a flash. A few things became clear: the team is currently lacking in both the lineup and the bullpen when facing high-end competition. However, we might not be far off from some reinforcements coming back to help elevate both units.

As the dust settles on the 2026 MLB Draft and hopes are high for the new crop of youngsters, it's important to remember that we're a long way away from having any sort of certainty as to how these shiny new prospects will perform. So while you're tallying up the number of steals the Texas Rangers landed, think of Jonathan Ornelas as a cautionary tale.

One thing that we, along with several other outlets, have harped on over the last several weeks as the trade deadline approaches is that the Rangers need to upgrade at the catcher position if they want to seriously compete for postseason play. The club has been really bad at backstop, both offensively and defensively. Big offseason signing Danny Jansen has been MIA with a right forearm strain for the last two months and unproductive when he plays.

It might seem hard to believe, but the second half of the 2026 season is upon us. The Texas Rangers have positioned themselves nicely for a successful stretch run, coming out of the All-Star break sitting at 49-47, good for first place in the highly competitive AL West. The Rangers have a big test awaiting them, with the second half opening up in Atlanta against the NL East-leading Braves.