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Rosenthal: Texas Rangers in on Mike Leake

The Rangers are reportedly one of the teams showing interest in Seattle starting pitcher Mike Leake

By Adam J. Morris
Seattle Mariners v Texas Rangers Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

MLB Trade Rumors: Seattle Mariners pitcher Mike Leake has been rumored to be available all summer, and the Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers are among the teams showing interest, according to Ken Rosenthal on Twitter.

I’ve mentioned before that Leake is someone who could be a fit for the Rangers. He’s a small, low-K, low-walk righthander who is basically a 1-2 win starter at this point in his career. He’s making $16 million this year (with St. Louis paying $6 million), $15 million in 2020 (with St. Louis paying $5 million), and has a $5 million buyout of a $18 million 2021 mutual option.

Leake would be a potential fit whether or not Mike Minor is dealt — if Minor is dealt, Leake can step in and take his spot in the rotation for the time being, and if Minor isn’t dealt, you have Minor, Leake and Lance Lynn penciled into your rotation for 2020, giving you a greater margin of error with your gaggle of young starting pitching prospects.

I suspect Leake will cost little other than money, and the M’s likely would subsidize some of what he is owed to move him. If that’s the case, Texas should be in the mix for Leake right now.