Texas Rangers rumors: Mike Minor potential MLB trade target, per Rosenthal

MLB trade rumors: Mike Minor, Texas Rangers starting pitcher, could potentially be available this offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal, who says that the Rangers are “[left] to ponder trade interest” in the starter-turned-reliever-turned-starter. Rosenthal says that Minor, who has 2 years and $19 million remaining on the contract he signed with Texas last offseason, could potentially be in demand by teams who don’t want to commit the years and dollars that the top free agent pitchers will command this offseason.

Minor had a solid season in 2018, though in his first season back in the rotation after injury problems cost him multiple seasons before he returned as a reliever in 2017, the Rangers limited his innings and starts. A contender could see Minor as a cheap, quality mid-rotation starter who is a better value, even while parting with prospects, than the free agent pitchers out there.

The Rangers are in rebuilding mode and aren’t expected to compete in 2019, but even still, I suspect that the Rangers’ price to part with Minor this offseason will be steep — they will likely be looking at more than what they got for Keone Kela last offseason, when the Pittsburgh Pirates sent Taylor Hearn and Sherten Apostel to Texas for Kela. And Texas can always hang on to Minor and looking to shop him in July when playoff contenders will be looking to shore up their rotations.