The Texas Rangers pulled off some huge trades at the 2023 MLB trade deadline. No deal was bigger than the one that landed them Max Scherzer, the aging star that the New York Mets traded as they take a more future-centric approach to team building.

Scherzer has been off to a fine start with the Rangers, allowing just four earned runs in 13 innings across his first two starts. He decided to waive his no-trade clause to join the World Series contender.

ESPN's Jeff Passan chronicled how the Rangers found the room to trade for Scherzer, which was aided by the Mets' struggles and plan to rebuild instead of just reload. Before Scherzer decided he was ready to leave the Mets, the Rangers were one of many teams expressing serious interest in acquiring him.

Scherzer took issue with the Mets trading closer David Robertson to the Miami Marlins, saying so ahead of the deadline. The day before that trade, according to Passan, he started getting text messages from players on other teams. The Rangers were in the mix of the recruitment and pulled off a deal two days later.

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The Ranger parted with infield prospect Luisangel Acuña to land Scherzer, who is under contract for one more season. With Marcus Semien and Corey Seager under contract for at least the next five years, Acuña's path to playing time with the Rangers was blocked.

While Acuña becomes the new potential star that the Mets will hang their hopes on, Scherzer joins a pitching staff featuring fellow trade-deadline acquisition Jordan Montgomery, Dane Dunning, Nate Eovaldi and Jon Gray. The Rangers hold the lead in the American League West by three games over the Houston Astros and are in the race for having the best record in the AL.

Even amid a disappointing season, Max Scherzer did not want to leave the Mets. It was only when the team decided to sell off some key players and try to be competitive again in a few years that he chose to leave a place he had great comfort in. Meanwhile, the Rangers will give him the chance to get another ring. Uprooting his life midseason was a tough decision but one that could pay off big-time.