The Texas Rangers missed out on several marquee deals in the offseason. They let go several of their big roster players go and received almost nothing in return. Now the team is scrambling to put together a championship roster in preparation for Opening Day. Detroit's right-hander Rick Porcello has begun to make some noise in spring training and now many scouts have assumed he is trade bait. ESPNNewYork.com is reporting that the Texas Rangers are now inquiring about the starting pitcher.
The Rangers lost potential starting pitcher Martin Perez over the weekend due to a broken arm. The time table for his return is unknown and now the team has uncertainty on the back end of their starting rotation. Porcello has had several strong outings this spring, impressing many scouts. Most recently, he pitched four scoreless innings in a game against the Houston Astros, striking out six in the process. MLB.com reports there were over a half-dozen scouts present to watch him pitch.
Detroit has several pitchers that have emerged has possible starters since the start of spring training. This is making the team believe Porcello could be expendable. They could easily get several good options in a trade for him. The Rangers need a big arm to fill out their rotation and give them another big player on the roster and could make a grab at Porcello in the coming weeks. With a strong infield to back him up, Porcello could be what Texas needs to put them back in AL contention.
The Rangers do not have several options to fill the final rotation spot. With Perez out with a fractured arm, the team's other option is 24-year old right-hander Justin Grimm. His second start this spring was one to forget. He allowed six runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings pitched. When Perez was healthy, he too was not looking like a strong option to fill the rotation, after walking several batters in the four innings of play total. That will not get the job done once the season begins.
At 24, Porcello is a young arm with lots of potential. In his four seasons in Detroit, he has a 48-42 record. In 2012, he went 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA.