Texas Rangers rumors: Derek Holland on the trade block?

Texas Rangers rumors: Derek Holland is potentially trade bait for the Texas Rangers, with Jon Heyman reporting that the Rangers would be “more than willing” to trade their lefthanded starting pitcher. The Rangers have an option on him for $11 million for 2017 that carries a $1.5 million buyout, and an $11.5 million option for 2018 with a $1 million buyout.

Whether the Rangers pick up the 2017 option on Holland has been the subject of much speculation, and if Heyman is correct, if they do pick up the option, it is with an eye towards trading him rather than keeping him. Its a seller’s market for starting pitching this winter — the free agent market for starting pitchers is pretty barren, and pretty much every team is seeking starting pitching -- and so Texas could opt to pick up Holland’s option with the thought of looking to move him to a team that strikes out on other options, or even as insurance in case Jon Daniels can’t find an upgrade out there.

Holland had been dogged by injuries the past three seasons, and has looked like a shell of his former self since suffering a shoulder injury at the start of the 2015 season. Holland is having to adapt to lower velocity than he’s had in the past, and so far, he’s not shown that he can do that, or stay healthy.

UPDATE — T.R. Sullivan reports that Holland has been informed by the team that they will not be picking up his option, and instead will either trade him or decline the option and pay his buyout. Thus, it appears his tenure with the organization is coming to an end.