On Friday, the Los Angeles Angels completed a blockbuster trade, acquiring Zack Greinke from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Jean Segura and a pair of AA pitchers.
ESPN's Buster Olney believes Los Angeles' move puts pressure on the Texas Rangers to complete some sort of trade prior to July 31.
The pressure on the Rangers to add a starting pitcher has been ramped up, after the Angels' acquisition of Zack Greinke. You can imagine Angels owner Arte Moreno throwing his wallet on top of a massive pile of chips, raising the stakes, and now we'll see if Nolan Ryan and the Rangers choose to match Anaheim by adding another starting pitcher for themselves.
Of course, the Rangers don't have to make a trade just to keep up with the Angels, as the Rangers are up four games in the standings.
Still, the injury to Colby Lewis has left a vacancy in Texas' rotation, but it doesn't look like the Rangers are going to look to fill it with Josh Johnson.
The Rangers, having lost out on Zack Greinke, are still talking to clubs. But the Rangers don't appear to high on Josh Johnson, the Marlins right-hander who is available in the Miami fire sale.
Sullivan cites Johnson's home/road splits and injury history as reasons that the Rangers aren't too keen on Johnson.