Potential Target: Jason Hammel

In an ongoing series, we'll take a look at possible free-agent and trade targets for the Texas Rangers this winter.

Target: Jason Hammel, RHP

2014 stats: 10-11, 3.47 ERA, 176 1/3 innings, 158 strikeouts, 44 walks (2-6, 4.26 ERA in Oakland)

Hammel is one of those classic cases of a guy who was pretty good in the National League before being traded midseason to an American League team and falling off the ledge. He was part of the big Jeff Samardzija trade from the Chicago Cubs, where he was 8-5 with a 2.98 ERA, and then after arriving in Oakland he couldn't get guys out anymore.

The Rangers have gone up that road before with guys like Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza, and it's unlikely they'd try it again, especially in free agency. But Hammel is one of the bigger names in a relatively weak free agent pitching market outside of the big three of Jon Lester, Max Scherzer and James Shields.

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