At some point within the next five days the Rangers will make the franchise-altering decision whether to trade staff ace Yu Darvish. Texas is 49-51 this season and 3 1/2 games back of the second AL wild card spot. There are four teams ahead of them in the standings. FanGraphs put their postseason odds at a mere 19.3 percent.
Regardless of whether the Rangers do actually trade Darvish, they are going to listen to offers, because that's what any team in their situation would do. It never hurts to listen and it doesn't cost anything. And, as they listen and consider offers, the Rangers will have Darvish's no-trade list in the back of their minds. Here are the 10 teams Darvish can block a trade to:
Yu Darvish’s 10-team no-trade list, per sources: BAL, BOS, CHC, CLE, COL, CWS, DET, OAK, PIT, TOR. Free to go to LAD, NYY, HOU, all others.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2017
A little all over the place, I'd say. Sometimes you'll see all big market teams on a player's no-trade list because those are the teams that can most afford to pay (extension, bonus, etc.) to get the player to waive his no-trade clause. Or sometimes you see no West Coast teams. Or no cold weather teams.
More important that the teams on Darvish's no-trade list are the teams not on Darvish's no-trade list. The Dodgers, Yankees and Astros are among the clubs most likely to swing a trade for the right-hander, and they are not included in his no-trade list. Neither are the Nationals, Brewers and Diamondbacks. The Red Sox, Indians and Rockies are the only teams in postseason position at the moment on Darvish's no-trade list.
Also, keep in mind the no-trade clause is not necessarily an obstacle. There's nothing to say Darvish wouldn't accept a trade to, say, the Cubs or Red Sox. He's a competitor and he wants to win, so he might give the thumbs up. The no-trade list just means he has to be consulted before a trade can be finalized.
Darvish, 30, has a 3.44 ERA (133 ERA+) with 143 strikeouts in 133 1/3 innings. He will be a free agent after the season, and while the Rangers would love to re-sign him, it's not a guarantee they will be able to do so. Trading him for prospects then making a run at him as a free agent may be their best course of action.
