MLB Free Agent Rumors: Texas Rangers destination for two top starting pitchers, per Duquette

MLB Free Agent Rumors: The Texas Rangers are in the market for starting pitching this offseason, and Jim Duquette’s predictions for his top 25 MLB free agents has the Rangers landing two prizes -- Jake Arrieta and Lance Lynn.

Duquette has Arrieta as likely getting 5 years at “north of $100 million”, though he doesn’t have a specific dollar amount associated with him. Arrieta is the number four player on both Duquette’s rankings and Keith Law’s top 50 free agent ranking, which also came out today. Law says Arrieta shouldn’t be paid as if he’s still an ace, but as a “mid-rotation starter who can take the ball 31 times,” he sees him as being worth $20 million per year.

The other starting pitcher Duquette has the Rangers landing is Lance Lynn, with Duquette pegging the former Cardinal as landing something around 5 years, $80 million from the Rangers. Lynn is ranked #16 by Law, who says he’s also a $20 million per year guy if he’s healthy post-TJS, but that’s a big if.

Personally, I have a hard time seeing the Rangers going five years for both Arrieta and Lynn at the rates they will command. I think one or the other is a possibility, but that’s a lot of money to commit to a couple of starting pitchers entering their 30s, and who you’re looking at to be #3 type starters. They’d make the Rangers better now, but there’d likely be a price to pay in a few years.

As far as former Rangers go, both Duquette and Law have Yu Darvish as the #1 free agent, with Duquette predicting he goes to Seattle for 6/$140M. Carlos Gomez is 10th on Law’s list, but doesn’t crack Duquette’s top 25. Jonathan Lucroy is predicted to stay in Colorado by Duquette, who has him at #24, while Law has him at #18. Law has Andrwe Cashner, meanwhile, at #35, and isn’t particularly high on him as a long-term option.