Report: Roy Oswalt Still Expected to Sign With Rangers as Early as This Week

The Roy Oswalt sweepstakes appear to finally be reaching their end.

ESPN.com reports that the Rangers are still the favorites to land the veteran right-hander, as sources have told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick a team would have to heavily outbid Texas to steal Oswalt.

"I would be shocked if he doesn't go to Texas," a baseball official told ESPN.com. "A team is going to have to greatly outbid Texas to keep him from going there."

Oswalt threw for the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, and he's also been linked to the Red Sox and Phillies. 

It will be interesting to see if a team like Phillies does come on strong and try to overbid for Oswalt, especially with Roy Halladay's status up in the air. Halladay left his most recent start early with a shoulder issue, and if he's out for an extended period of time, it may put the pressure on the Phillies to sign Oswalt, who spent the 2011 season in Philadelphia.

However, the Rangers are looking to fill a hole, too, after Neftali Feliz recently went on the disabled list with a shoulder injury of his own.