How Red Sox Could Take Advantage Of Rangers’ Potential Financial Pitfalls

The Boston Red Sox handed the Texas Rangers another defeat to add to the defending champions’ lost season, which could influence major moves before the end of the month.

Texas hoped to turn its season around with minor adjustments supplementing a roster that won the World Series last season. But the Rangers’ slide down the standings continued, and after Monday’s loss to the Red Sox, they are nowhere near playoff contention.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal on Tuesday highlighted in his column the scenario of a waiver dump from Texas. It sounds like an insane idea for a defending World Series champion to do, but the MLB insider noted that Rangers ownership has a history of “(exercising) financial caution since last offseason, citing uncertainty in the team’s future local television revenues.”

Rosenthal adds: “Clubs would save only about one-sixth of players’ remaining salaries in 2024 if they dump them before the Aug. 31 deadline for playoff eligibility. But say the Rangers succeeded in purging four potential free-agent pitchers — lefty Andrew Heaney and righty relievers David Robertson, Kirby Yates and José Leclerc. They would pocket almost $6 million.”

Rosenthal also added former Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi as another potential pitcher who could be part of the Rangers’ potential waiver dump. Texas obviously would risk losing the right-hander, making it more likely it would waive other players to increase its resources to re-sign him.

Also, Eovaldi is dealing with a side injury that Texas hopes isn’t serious, and he also has a player option for 2025 tied to his innings that is part of the calculus, too.

Boston wouldn’t be high on the waiver order, but even if it couldn’t reunite with Eovaldi, the other Rangers pitchers could help the Red Sox. Heaney would be an intriguing replacement for James Paxton, who was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday. He has a 4.05 ERA this season, but he’s pitched 120 innings and the Red Sox certainly could use inning eaters.

Robertson and Leclerc also could help bolster a bullpen that hasn’t been too consistent after the All-Star break.

It’s an intriguing proposition for Boston to poach off the Rangers during their down year, but Rosenthal pointed out how bad of a look for the league this would be. The Los Angeles Angels also dumped salary before August last year, and it arguably affected the American League pennant race. MLB could step in if the defending champions become “waiver-wire enthusiasts.” But if they do, it’s a big opportunity for the playoff-hungry Red Sox.