During the 2026 Major League Baseball season, the Texas Rangers have been the embodiment of average.

Now sitting at 46-46 after a 13-1 blowout loss provided by the Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers are yet again fighting to stay at the .500 mark, which has been elusive for them during long stretches this season.

After wins, spirits and morale seem high among players in postgame interviews. The Rangers acknowledge their shortcomings while remaining optimistic about what the team’s potential is. However, they have not been able to consistently reach it, and with the MLB Trade Deadline just weeks away, it might be time to shake things up.

On Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET, teams will meet the cutoff point for making any trades. The Rangers have time left to make decisions, but that time will move quickly. According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, one player who could be on his way out the door is Corey Seager.

The 2026 campaign for Seager has been an uphill battle. On July 1, he was placed on the Injured List for the third time this season. This time, it was for lower back inflammation. 

In the 51 games he has played, Seager’s numbers have been abysmal. So far, he has produced a slash line of .182/.292/.374 with a .666 OPS, which are the lowest marks of his career in those metrics.

Rosenthal and Sammon made it clear that the Rangers do not have a desire to part ways with Seager because he is still viewed as a player that can be integral to a postseason run. But if things don’t turn around for the franchise, a split could be on the table.

Not long ago, Seager was a dominant force on a Rangers team that won its first World Series in 2023. During the championship season, Seager produced a .327 batting average, a .390 on-base percentage and a .623 slugging percentage to go along with a colossal 1.013 OPS.

But now, at 32 years old, Seager is an aging star who looks like a shell of his former self. He is also owed $31.5 million until 2031, his age-37 season. 

Rosenthal and Sammon also highlight that Seager gains the right to veto any deal due to having 10 years of major-league service, five of which are consecutive with the same club. The 2026 campaign marks Seager’s fifth with the organization.

Additionally, Rosenthal and Sammon note that Seager’s contract affords him the right to "block deals to eight clubs." However, while Rosenthal and Sammon must keep their sources anonymous, they emphasize that most of those teams would not be interested in dealing for Seager.

So, where does that leave the Rangers? Regardless of the provisions in Seager’s contract that eliminates nearly a third of MLB teams from being able to acquire him, Rosenthal and Sammon make it clear that Seager will be hard to move.

As it stands, time is running out for the Rangers to make an immediate choice on a player that has been a franchise cornerstone.

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