Potential Targets: Shaun Marcum

Target: Shaun Marcum, RHP

2013 stats: 1-10 in 12 starts, 5.29 ERA, 78 1/3 innings, 60 strikeouts, 21 walks

Marcum is an interesting case because prior to last season, he was a pretty solid starting pitcher — a quality No. 3 starter. But last season with the Mets, he ran into health issues and was clearly pitching with discomfort that was explained when he was diagnosed with and had surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome, which causes numbness and tingling in the hands and fingers — a pretty important factor to pitching.

In his three years prior to 2013, Marcum posted a 3.62 ERA with the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers. ESPN's Jayson Stark reported Marcum is making a solid recovery from his surgery and is drawing interest from several clubs, most notably the Rangers, Indians and Royals.

Acquiring Marcum could either make him the Rangers' fifth starter while pushing Alexi Ogando to the bullpen, or it could allow them to trade one of their current starters for a bat. It'd be hard to entrust Marcum to replace someone like Derek Holland though, so this would probably be a move to fill the fifth starter role.

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