Rangers trade rumors: Joey Gallo for Jonathan Lucroy spitballed by Jon Heyman

Rangers trade rumors:  Joey Gallo for Jonathan Lucroy is a trade that makes sense for both clubs, suggests Jon Heyman, who also throws out the suggestion that Texas should move Ariel Jurado and Michael DeLeon to San Diego for Fernando Rodney and Brandon Maurer.

To be clear, this is part of a series of transactions that Heyman seems to be spitballing or rosterbating with, not something that he is saying is actually on the horizon or anything.  But still, both suggestions make me wrinkle my nose.

Let's start with the big one...Gallo for Lucroy.  This is one of those proposals I've seen so many people throw out for so long that its almost taken a life of its own.  Heyman's justification is the same you always hear...Gallo is blocked, Lucroy would upgrade the catcher position, its a win-win.  As I noted earlier today, though, Gallo appears slated to take over at first base next season (if not at 1B or DH later in 2016), which makes him someone you'd think the Rangers would be holding onto, not dealing for a short-term gain.  And while Lucroy has been terrific this season, bouncing back off of a down 2015 campaign, he's only under control through 2017.  Yes, he's an upgrade over Robinson Chirinos, and more durable, but so much so that he's worth giving up Gallo for, opening up a hole going forward at first base?  I don't think so...

As for the San Diego deal...Maurer has a 6.23 ERA and a 4.68 FIP in 34.2 IP for the Padres, good for a whopping -0.9 bWAR, and he has just one positive bWAR season under his belt (2015, when he had a 0.6 in 51 IP).  He turns 26 next month and is under team control for a while, but really, he's just a body, and not someone you'd peg as a "winning piece" in this pen.

So really, its about acquiring Rodney, who has bounced back after a rough stint in Seattle last year.  He finally allowed an earned run for the first time two days ago, jumping his ERA all the way up to 0.34 on the season in 26.2 IP, and so you can say he's the top of shutdown reliever in 2016 Texas needs.  But he's still walking folks (3.71 BB/9), and his 2.41 FIP is bolstered by the fact he's still not given up a home run this season...his xFIP is 3.41.  And besides...he's Fernando Rodney.  I just can't get excited about rooting for Fernando Rodney.

Jurado and DeLeon wouldn't be a major price to pay, and if Texas were to make such a trade, I wouldn't be devastated, although Jurado could come back to bite them...but man, if you're going to trade for bullpen help, and give up Jurado, I'd rather it not be Fernando Rodney we're talking about.