Padres trade rumors: Rangers interested in Drew Pomeranz

The Padres’ Drew Pomeranz got through the fourth inning of last night’s MLB All-Star Game, allowing only a one-out single to Jackie Bradley, Jr. before exiting with the score still 4-2. With that, his ASG experience was over and it was time to get down to the matter of being San Diego’s most prized trade asset - something the Rangers are more than happy to confirm, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Over 102 innings, Pomeranz shares the NL’s third best ERA at 2.47 with Johnny Cueto, striking out 115 and walking only 41. His success is a large part of the reason the Padres aren’t even worse than the 38-51, fourth place mess they were entering the season’s midpoint (no one else in the rotation has an ERA under 4.20).

Texas, joining the Red Sox, Orioles, and Marlins as teams linked to the 27-year-old lefty, has gone after Pomeranz before. The Rangers, who also used to employ San Diego GM A.J. Preller, tried to pluck Pomeranz out of the draft in 2007, but he decided attending the University of Mississippi was the better option. They also might remember him from a game in June 2014, when he gave up eight runs to Texas in 3.2 innings, leading to Pomeranz breaking his non-throwing hand by punching a wooden chair.

The first place Rangers are looking to shore up a rotation that is without starters Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, and Colby Lewis. Meanwhile, the Padres, already considered out of contention, may want to take advantage of Pomeranz’s newfound success by converting him into prospects. The southpaw had entered training camp with the team assuming he would inherit relief duties somewhere. However, his confidence in his shoulder following surgery caused Pomeranz to approach management and ask for a chance to start. The opportunity awarded to him has clearly worked out for everyone involved.

The decade Preller spent with the Rangers front office apparently left him apparently salivating over prospect Jurickson Profar, though the 23-year-old infielder hitting .323 with an .828 OPS may not be the price tag Texas had in mind.