The Texas Rangers are entering a crucial stretch—one they hope defines them as a powerhouse of the decade. With the stars aligned and a championship window wide open, it’s time to turn potential into sustained success.
Despite having promising young talent like Evan Carter and Josh Jung, the Rangers are firmly in “win-now” mode. Core veterans such as Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien are all nearing the twilight of their careers. With their prime years dwindling, the next three to six seasons may represent Texas’ best shot at building a dynasty.
That reality means difficult decisions lie ahead—particularly when it comes to top prospects who haven’t lived up to expectations. If a player doesn’t mesh with this current core, it may be time to move on, no matter how high their ceiling once seemed.
Enter Jack Leiter. Though he’s only made nine MLB appearances, his struggles go back to the minors, where he owns a 5.48 ERA over 60 games. Control issues, trouble finishing hitters, and an increasing walk rate have stalled his development. While Leiter showed promise this spring—with a 2.25 ERA and the addition of two new pitches—the Rangers face a decision: stay patient or sell high.
Rather than gamble on another stalled prospect, Texas could capitalize on Leiter’s current upswing to shore up the rotation. A bold trade proposal sees Leiter, along with prospects Alejandro Osuna and Cameron Cauley, sent to the Marlins in exchange for former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara.
Alcantara, 29, missed all of 2024 following Tommy John surgery but has returned throwing heat—touching 100 mph and looking sharp this spring. With the Marlins reportedly planning to limit his innings, there’s speculation they might move him to a contender. Texas, looking to fortify its rotation, could be a perfect landing spot.
Pairing Alcantara with deGrom, Eovaldi, and the emerging Cody Bradford and Kumar Rocker gives the Rangers arguably one of the best rotations in baseball—potentially the missing ingredient to multiple World Series runs.
Trading a former No. 2 overall pick like Leiter, along with two top-20 prospects, won’t be easy. But with a title window wide open and a rare opportunity to land a frontline ace, this is the kind of high-risk, high-reward move a true contender makes.
