Before we begin, let's just make one thing abundantly clear: Joey Gallo is not going anywhere, so don't believe anything you might read anywhere about such a transaction.
With that said, the Texas Rangers have plenty of other good, young players in their system who could snag them a big prize this summer at the MLB trade deadline in less than two months.
Prior to the season, there was talk of a possible deal between the Rangers and Phillies to trade for Phillies ace Cole Hamels, a durable lefty who is one of the best pitchers in baseball, to pair atop the rotation with Yu Darvish and make one of the best 1-2 pitching punches in baseball. It didn't happen, and all speculation basically ended when the Rangers instead traded for a cheaper option in Yovani Gallardo.
Gallardo has been solid, but he's no ace. Hamels most certainly is.
Well, now there appears to be some talk floating around from various media outlets that the Rangers and Phillies could indeed match up for a big trade this year, after all, thanks to the Rangers' surprising success this year after an awful April. The Red Sox, who were seemingly the Phillies biggest suitor for Hamels, are awful and appear to be falling out of consideration with each passing day and each passing loss.
The Rangers have the pieces to make a deal for Hamels, and it doesn't have to include Gallo. There's primo catching prospect Jorge Alfaro, who has some serious defensive issues but is a rare offensive weapon at that position, and then there's young corner outfielder Nomar Mazara, who has streaked up Rangers' prospect rankings in the past year.
It all depends on what approach the Rangers want to take this year and where they are in the standings come mid-July, but it's hard to completely rule some discussion out given the way the Rangers' rotation has held on for dear life while the offense has picked things up in a big way in May and June.
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Another thing about Hamels, he's controllable through 2019, meaning he could be paired with Darvish for years to come and really make the Rangers' rotation a formidable bunch. The Rangers have tended to overvalue their own prospects over the past few years, and while that appears to be paying off with Gallo, it won't with all of them — it's simple math and odds.
If the Rangers could get Hamels for a package led with Mazara and Alfaro, it might be well worth their consideration. Now, we'll just have to see if Jon Daniels & Co. feel the same way.
