The Texas Rangers' World Series hopes were dealt a devastating blow on Tuesday, as ace starting pitcher Jacob deGrom will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
Not only is it a gut punch for the Rangers, but it's also a bitter pill for deGrom, 34, to swallow, as it will be the second time he has gone under the knife in his career to mend a UCL tear.
While these may read like dire times for the Rangers, all hope is far from lost. Texas currently owns the second-best record in MLB, along with the best run differential.
The Rangers offense has produced the most runs in baseball, even more than the machine-like Tampa Bay Rays and the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers.
Nathan Eovaldi, this past offseason's other major addition, has pitched to a 2.24 ERA and has helped the Rangers post the third-best team ERA in the big leagues.
But make no mistake.
Losing deGrom, perhaps the best pitcher on the planet when healthy, hurts in a big way.
With the MLB trade deadline a little less than two months away, rumors are bound to swirl around the Rangers and any starting pitcher that becomes available.
Texas isn't going to find a deGrom replacement on the trade market- one doesn't exist.
But any potential pitching rotation upgrades need to be explored.
That said, here are three pitchers the Rangers must consider trading for after the deGrom Tommy John news.
Rangers trades after deGrom Tommy John news
3. German Marquez (SP, Colorado Rockies)
Marquez is not as big of a name as some of the others that will grace this list, but that doesn't mean he's not a good pitcher.
The All-Star right hander has pitched to a passable 4.41 ERA despite taking the mound in the hitter-friendly Coors Field for his entire career.
But there's reason to believe that Marquez can be an even better hurler away from Denver.
The 28-year-old owns a 3.80 ERA on the road compared to a 5.07 mark at home.
Plus, the Rangers know all about pitchers succeeding away from Coors.
Former Rockies starter Jon Gray, who has recorded a career-best 2.51 ERA for Texas this season, is thriving in a more pitcher-friendly park.
Why not roll the dice on another Rockies hurler, who won't be an unrestricted free agent until 2025.
2. Jordan Montgomery (SP, St. Louis Cardinals)
The St. Louis Cardinals season has been an absolute disaster. The Cardinals, who many expected to be in contention in the National League Central, have been anything but, given their 25-36 record.
Last year's trade deadline acquisition Jordan Montgomery is currently unable to buy a win, as the Cardinals have lost 10 straight games that he's started.
As tensions rise in the Cardinals clubhouse, as manager Oliver Marmol's seat warms up, and as the reality that this team might not be a contender sets in, would it be a surprise to anyone if Montgomery's name popped up in trade rumors?
Montgomery, who inked a one-year contract with the Cards before the season began, is a free agent at the end of the year.
The Cardinals, rather than letting him walk for nothing, could at least try to pry a prospect or two away from the Rangers, who will be more desperate than they would have been under normal circumstances, given the deGrom news.
Plus, Montgomery, who pitched to a 3.94 ERA in the pressure-packed environment of New York with the Yankees, won't be scared of meaningful baseball in August or October.
Despite his rough start to 2023, there's reason to believe in a Montgomery bounce-back.
And the Rangers, who could use another back-end type starter in their rotation, would benefit from it.
1. Lucas Giolito (SP, Chicago White Sox)
Lucas Giolito, the ace for the White Sox, will likely be the prize of the MLB trade deadline, barring a Shohei Ohtani blockbuster.
Giolito might have gotten off to a rough start in 2023, but six no-hit innings against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night could be the start he needs to turn things around.
Plus, this is a guy who was an All-Star-type pitcher and big-time strikeout hurler as recently as 2021.
Still just 28 years old, Giolito is set to become a free agent this winter.
The White Sox offered Giolito a four-year, $50 million contract extension, an offer his camp deemed so low that they didn't even bother to counter with one of their own.
Even if Chicago was winning, Giolito would likely be out the door this offseason anyway.
Now that Chicago is one of the worst teams in baseball again, there's no chance he returns.
So, it would behoove the White Sox to trade him before August 1.
And the Rangers, who have a legitimate shot to win the World Series, need to push all their chips to the center of the table.
With MLB.com's seventh-ranked farm system in the preseason, the Rangers have the means to take a big swing at this year's trade deadline.
Why not make a splash with Giolito?
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