The 2025 MLB trade deadline is just hours away, and the Texas Rangers have been linked to multiple bullpen players who can help push this team to the playoffs.
After hovering near .500 and falling behind the red-hot Seattle Mariners in the American League West standings, the Rangers find themselves at a critical crossroads entering Thursday’s 5 p.m. CT cutoff.
With an impressive winning stretch now in the rearview and lingering questions in the bullpen, team president Chris Young is reportedly working the phones to address key roster gaps.
The most glaring concern for this team is finding a meaningful relief pitcher who can help the team in the back halves of games.
Multiple sources have confirmed the Rangers are making calls and have been considering moves for high-leverage arms, notably Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar, according to The Dallas Morning News.
This trade would immediately fill a role hole for a Rangers team that recently released closing pitcher Luke Jackson, who had primarily served as the team’s main option at the end of games this season.
Bednar, a two-time All-Star with 17 saves this year, is under team control through 2026, which is one of the many details driving up his price tag as a player widely expected to be moved before the deadline.
Unfortunately, the Rangers reportedly believe that the price for Bednar could become too high as the deadline inches closer, leaving them to pursue other, more realistic options to help the bullpen, according to a source close to the situation that spoke with the New York Times.
Texas has also reportedly shown interest in Tampa Bay Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks, a former Rangers prospect, St. Louis Cardinals righty Phil Maton, and Kansas City Royals reliever Hunter Harvey.
With other contenders such as the Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Los Angeles Dodgers also in the market for top-end relievers, pressure is mounting for Young to strike quickly as supply dwindles.