Jason Churchill of ESPN.com once again connects the Rangers with old farmhand John Danks.
The Rangers would like to have Wilson back, writes Richard Durrett, but seem more interested in trading for John Danks than signing his former teammate Buehrle.
Buehrle is a free agent, while John Danks would be a trade target. Danks had a down year and only threw 170 innings after missing most of July. He would be a capable replacement for CJ Wilson, though, after excellent 2008-2010 seasons. His xFIP over the past four seasons is right at four, while Wilson’s in his two years as a starter is 4.06 and 3.41.
Danks is also in his last pre-free agency arbitration year. That means that he should cost a little less in trade value than in recent years, and while he’ll be expensive he won’t make in arbitration what Wilson will in free agency. Can the Rangers stomach the price in young pitching for one year of Danks? It might be a little harder if their hearts are involved. They traded Danks and Nick Masset on Christmas Eve before his rookie season for Brandon McCarthy, got very little out of McCarthy, and wound up letting him go for nothing.