The Rangers are hovering four games over .500 and are not totally out of contention in the AL West or the Wild Card. However, over these next two weeks, it will become more clear whether they will be buyers or sellers, and their most tantalizing trade chip will be former Brave Mike Minor.
Arm injuries cost Minor a couple years of baseball, but he’s finally healthy and reached the All-Star Game for the first time in his eight-year career. He’s 8-4, toting a 2.73 ERA, averaging nearly a strikeout per inning, and even has two complete games under his belt. In a trade market that doesn’t feature any sure-fire starting pitchers, Minor might require the most substantial haul. He has the best numbers of any starter that might hit the market and another year of control remaining.
Starting pitching has become priority number one for Atlanta as they prepare for October. But the Braves also need arms for next year as well; which makes Minor even more appealing. A reunion is sensible, and according to Jon Morosi, the Braves are interested.
#Braves are open to a reunion with LHP Mike Minor, but serious trade talks with the #Rangers have yet to begin. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 18, 2019
This is to be expected. The Braves will be kicking the tires on every starting pitcher available at the deadline. They have to add a third guy behind Mike Soroka and Dallas Keuchel. Minor would be a perfect fit, but trade talks likely have not begun because the Rangers have yet to decide if they are selling.
Texas is also in no rush to make a move. If the right deal doesn’t come along, they can always move Minor in the winter or at next year’s trade deadline. So if the Braves want a reunion, it is going to take quite a bit of prospect capital to make it happen.
The Rangers will probably be hell-bent on acquiring one of the Braves top three prospects – Cristian Pache, Ian Anderson, and Drew Waters. I call them the untouchables and would not be open to trading any of them. With that said, anyone else is on the table in talks for Minor.