The Texas Rangers made the most underrated move at the MLB Trade Deadline
It wasn’t the most notable move, but it might have been the best one made before Monday’s MLB non-waiver trade deadline.
You probably didn’t even notice it happened.
Jonathan Lucroy wasn’t the only Milwaukee Brewer who is now looking for a place to stay in North Texas. The Rangers also acquired Brewers closer Jeremy Jeffress in the deal that sent top prospects Lewis Brinson and Luis Ortiz to “The Good Land.”
Landing an elite catcher who is exceptional both at and behind the plate was, of course, the part of the transaction that caught everyone’s eye Monday. The Rangers were struggling at catcher and Lucroy is a tremendous upgrade that turns the Rangers’ already excellent lineup into a murderer's row.
But it’s the acquisition of Jeffress that could well prove to be a more important acquisition this fall.
The Rangers had one of the best offenses in baseball before they added Lucroy and Carlos Beltran Monday — they would have been fine in the playoffs without getting either player before the deadline.
A more pressing need for the Rangers was pitching, particularly in the bullpen, and Texas landed one of the best relief pitchers on the market Monday.
The Rangers’ bullpen is the worst in the American League, having posted a 4.85 FIP and a 4.78 ERA this season. Those numbers spell doom in a five or seven-game series in October.
In July, the Rangers’ bullpen posted a 4.72 ERA that outperformed its 4.84 FIP (the numbers should be pretty close.) If the Rangers didn’t make a significant upgrade to their bullpen at the deadline, it wouldn’t have mattered how many homers their hitters could knock out of the bandbox that is The Ballpark in Arlington — Rangers’ relievers have the second-worst home run rate in baseball and the fewest strikeouts per nine innings in the majors.
Jeffress might be anonymous to most casual baseball fans, but he is that significant upgrade. The former Brewers’ closer converted 27 of 28 save opportunities this year thanks to an impressive 3.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Jeffress’ numbers are similar to the standout of the beleaguered Texas bullpen — closer Sam Dyson.
Since Dyson took over as the team’s closer in the middle of May, the Rangers are 40-25, taking over first place in the American League West. In July, he saved six games and allowed only one earned run in just shy of 10 innings.
There was no alternative to Dyson should the closer, who has been up-and-down this season, falter. They have that option now, and they’ve established a strong 8th and 9th inning punch from a disadvantageous scenario.
If the Rangers were able to be one of the best teams in baseball despite having an abysmal bullpen, what will happen if the bullpen becomes average?
So while Lucroy and Beltran might grab the headlines, remember that it was Jeffress that could have the biggest impact on the Rangers’ chase for their first-ever World Series title.
