Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Rangers are close to acquiring starter Yovani Gallardo from the Brewers. Rosenthal adds that, should the deal go through, the Brewers may not be done making moves -- they could make a run at free agent starter James Shields. According to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers aren’t planning to announce a trade today.
We learned recently that the Rangers weren’t linked to either Shields or fellow free agent Max Scherzer, but were one of the few teams linked to Phillies ace Cole Hamels. That they landed Gallardo, a formidable but comparatively cheaper option, is not surprising.
Gallardo, 28, is set to become a free agent after the season, so the Brewers are getting value for him while they still can. The right-hander finished the 2014 season with a 3.51 ERA and a 146/54 K/BB ratio in 192 1/3 innings. Gallardo has made at least 30 starts in each of the last six seasons.
