The 2022 MLB trade deadline has come and gone. Several big names players packed their bags and headed to new cities to play for new teams.
The Padres made a huge splash for superstar Juan Soto and all-star Josh Bell. The Seattle Mariners made a splash for all-star pitcher Luis Castillo.
The Texas Rangers, on the other hand, were not as active. The Rangers only made one move this trade deadline, acquiring infielder Mark Mathias and left-handed pitching prospect Antoine Kelly.
Mark Mathias will head to AAA Round Rock. Antoine Kelly will slide in as the Rangers’ #15 ranked prospect.
The thing that stands out most about the deadline was not the move they did make but the moves they did not make.
The two most “tradable” players on the team according to most (Martin Perez and Matt Moore) survived the deadline without being dealt.
Was that move a mistake? Should the Rangers have shipped off those two veterans for young prospects?
Well, let’s start out with Martin Perez. The Rangers never really showed that they really wanted to trade him.
It was pretty much known that Perez would stay a Texas Ranger through the rest of this season.
One reason for that was so the Rangers would have an exclusive right to negotiate a contract extension with Perez.
Martin looks locked in and comfortable here in Arlington and the Rangers want to keep him. As of now, no extension talks between the Rangers and Perez have taken place, however, with him not being traded that allows for negotiations during this season.
I’d say the fact that Martin was not traded was the right choice from the front office. Trading Martin would have put another hole in an already thin starting rotation.
Matt Moore on the other hand may have been a different story. Going into the deadline it was almost certain that Moore would be dealt to a contender.
However, something we have to realize is that Moore likely would not have brought back a whole lot of value.
Sure, Moore is having a phenomenal season, but it’s the only time Moore has ever had a season like this.
Also, trading Moore would have left a major hole in a Rangers bullpen that is significantly weak right now.
Overall, the Rangers kept Martin Perez and Matt Moore so that they can try to keep a good product on the field in 2022. The reality is they want both players back next season and will work to negotiate contract extensions for both their best starter and best reliever.
