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Rangers trade rumors: John Lackey, the Boston Red Sox pitcher who we had talked about as a potential trade target for the Rangers as a 2015 rotation candidate, has been traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, per reports on Twitter.
Lackey's unique contract includes a team option for 2015 for the league minimum, because of the amount of time he missed earlier in his contract due to injury. Lackey has put up a 3.55 ERA (113 ERA+) and a 3.73 FIP since the start of 2013, and while he's not a #1 or #2 starter, he's the type of solid veteran that the Rangers will likely be looking at to help fill their 2015 rotation. We had discussed the possibility that the Rangers could look to acquire Lackey, either now or in the offseason, but with Lackey now going to St. Louis, that appears moot.
UPDATE -- Allen Craig and Joe Kelly are going to Boston in the Lackey deal, per reports on Twitter.