Texas Rangers

3 Takeaways: So you're telling me there's a chance?

Published Aug. 3, 2015 5:42 p.m. ET

foxsports

With the trade deadline behind us, this week’s three takeaways focuses on three teams that did the most to change their fortunes come the playoffs.

Toronto Blue Jays: 55-52
The Blue Jays have long been underperforming, with a dynamic offense, generic rotation and pitiful bullpen. They addressed all three areas at the deadline, stunning the baseball world by acquiring Troy Tulowitzki, and following that up by adding David Price, Ben Revere, LaTroy Hawkins and Mark Lowe. As low profile as Hawkins and Lowe are, they might be the secret sauce that pushes Toronto forward. The Jays’ only reliable reliever to this point has been 20-year-old reliever Roberto Osuna, who they jumped to the majors from High-A, and getting a bridge to him from their starters is crucial. As is a starter who can give their current bullpen a rest, which is exactly what David Price provides. In a tie for the second wild card and a game and a half back of the first, the Jays might have mortgaged their future, but their present is looking much better.

Houston Astros: 60-46
We rightly targeted Scott Kazmir for the Astros a few weeks ago, and he did end up going home to Houston. He’s a great fit as a front of the rotation arm who decreases the pressure on Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers. Still, he wasn’t enough and the Astros knew it, so they ponied up the prospects and brought Mike Fiers to Houston along with Carlos Gomez. Gomez is the headliner, and he’ll provide a substantial boost to the top of the lineup as well as range in center field. Fiers is just as important though, as he allows the Astros to rest McCullers and Vincent Velasquez down the stretch without a substantial drop in talent. While the Astros didn’t add to their bullpen as it sounded like they were seeking to, it’s been a productive unit anyway, and there remains a good chance a guy like Velasquez would adapt well to a short-term stint there. With the Angels addressing the black hole they created in left field, it behooved the Astros to solidify their current four-game lead, and they did that and then some with the talent added at the deadline.

Texas Rangers: 51-53
Sure, the Cole Hamels move was mostly about 2016-19, but we can’t ignore the addition for 2015. The Rangers are two games under .500 and two and a half games back of a second wild card, with plenty of teams in front of them (three, and then the two wildcard leaders), so it’s fair to say that a playoff run is unlikely. But for a team that had run out Matt Harrison for three starts, this is a substantial change. Add in the return to health for Josh Hamilton and Delino DeShields, and there’s a puncher’s chance for Texas.

There’s a reasonable argument that the Royals should be in this article and I’m sympathetic to such a claim. Adding Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist were massive adjustments to the weakest parts of a strong team - similar to Houston and Toronto. The difference here is that the Royals were already a near lock to make the playoffs, so while their acquisitions are no less meaningful, they just weren’t a perfect fit for the premise.

Click here for the full Playoff Odds Power Rankings.