The Texas Rangers may have spent big money on free agents in years past, but they most definitely were not in on the Juan Soto sweepstakes.
Soto’s 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets made Corey Seager’s Rangers contract look like an absolute steal. And though Texas wasn’t involved in the negotiations to land Soto, they could find themselves involved in the aftermath.
The New York Yankees just lost their superstar right fielder, so they’ll be on the warpath this winter in their quest to find a suitable Soto replacement.
Meanwhile, the Rangers’ own right fielder, Adolis García, is coming off a brutal down year, and is already 31 years old, despite playing just four full big-league seasons. Texas has two budding outfield stars in Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter, so García might not be a part of their long-term plans.
Peter Appel of Just Baseball proposed García as a trade target for the Yankees to consider as a Soto replacement.
“The Texas Rangers have also been rumored to be cutting payroll amid TV rights battles, and after a rough season, would they listen to the 31-year-old right fielder?” Appel said.
“What would a package look like for Garcia? The Yankees would get him for two years, and he’s not very expensive. If they traded for him last year, the package would have been huge. At this point, they can buy low if the Rangers are willing to listen.”
Would the Rangers consider moving García, especially with his value at a low point? It would depend on how much they trust Carter and Langford to take big steps forward in year two, but also their desperation to shed payroll, as García only makes $9.25 million in 2025.
It doesn’t seem likely at this point, but if the Yankees blow the Rangers away, anything is always possible. As instrumental as García was to their 2023 World Series run, he might not be a huge piece of their long-term plans.