> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://theprospecttimes.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Trading Corey Seager would be a mistake. So, should it be Jacob deGrom or Nathan Eovaldi? - URL: https://theprospecttimes.com/trading-corey-seager-would-be-a-mistake-so-should-it-be-jacob-degrom-or-nathan-eovaldi/ - Published: 2026-11-09T19:49:21.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-09T19:53:39.000Z - Author: Griffin McVeigh During the trade deadline this summer, rumors swirled in a big way about the availability of three major stars. Could Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, or Corey Seager be available? Nobody really knew until reports surfaced that deGrom invoked his no-trade clause. Fast forward three months and there are no questions. deGrom, Eovaldi, and Seager are available. It's inevitable at this point. Chris Young is going to deal one, if not two, of these superstars. With the way payroll is set up for the 2027 season, doing so is a requirement. If the Rangers want to compete, they must reallocate a large chunk of salary from one player to a spread of them. Young figuring out exactly how to piece this together is where things get interesting. In reality, he is facing a lose-lose scenario. How do you explain to a fanbase you want to be contenders shortly after trading one of those three? I certainly don't envy him. However, the power of sitting behind a keyboard provides the option of giving thoughts without actually having to go out there and execute. For me, trading Seager would be a big mistake. Stats tell you Seager is still one of the best players in baseball. If you like WAR – which I admit I don't always do – 14.5 bWAR [ranks](https://x.com/BaseballWRLD%5F/status/2118032697654219039/photo/1?ref=theprospecttimes.com) 11th in baseball among hitters over the past three seasons. His defense has been really good at shortstop over the past three seasons (which sort of explains the high bWAR). No, not at a Gold Glove level. But the Rangers are paying Seager $31.5 million a year, and almost none of it is for his defensive prowess. It's been a bonus. What they dished money out for was Seager's offensive ability. And folks, he absolutely still has it. In what was considered a down 2026, Seager still finished with an OPS+ of 112 with 20 home runs. A lower batting average of .227 certainly stands out. Seager looked like his normal self in August, though, before a slight dip in September. The final slash line – .227/.312/.736\. Not what you expect from Seager but getting into a rhythm seemed incredibly difficult for him until the final two months of the season. Which... Here is where things get tricky. He can't stay healthy. Long stretches away from the field due to different injuries ultimately killed the 2026 campaign for the Rangers. Beyond that, two straight seasons have seen Seager play only 102 games after 123 in 2024\. As they say, availability is the best ability. Almost the entire idea behind trading Seager is the lack of availability. He produces when out there and at a high clip too. Which, yes, makes him quite attractive for other teams. All things considered, I just don't know how trading Seager (without knowing the return, of course) fixes anything unless it's a pure financial decision. The lineup has been weak for three straight years now. I find it incredibly hard to believe losing 100-ish games of Seager can be Moneyballed and then improved upon, even if those players are available for a full season. You may as well publicly admit some tough times are ahead instead of claiming the intention is to compete. ## So, should it be Jacob deGrom or Nathan Eovaldi? Somebody has to go. If Seager is not the one to leave, should it be deGrom or Eovaldi? First, let's look at what might be the biggest factor in this whole situation. deGrom is slated to make $37 million in 2027\. A club option is there for the 2028 season, costing $20 million. So, technically, he is under control for two seasons. Eovaldi, on the other hand, would be a pure rental at $24 million. The Rangers moving deGrom instead of Eovaldi would open up an extra $13 million. Beyond the money, who is the more attractive on-field player? Genuinely, arguments could be made for both guys. Young might get different answers depending on which team is in the conversation. My gut tells me deGrom, and for a few reasons. We already know there was interest in deGrom from at least one club. The Atlanta Braves were who attempted to swoop in for him at the trade deadline, only to be vetoed. In a world where it's public information that deGrom is available, you have to imagine more GMs/POBOs are calling about him than Eovaldi. The star power of deGrom's name still exists. Last season was a rough one for him. His 4.20 ERA disappointed big time. The last two starts vs. Toronto and Minnesota, in games the Rangers needed in a playoff race, deGrom failed to produce. A combined 8.1 innings pitched and 11 earned runs. Past the All-Star break, just four of his 13 starts resulted in a team win. But here are some positives: Health, which had previously been the biggest question mark. deGrom has made 30 starts in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2018 and 2019\. He also surpassed the 200-strikeout mark, another first since 2019\. FIP, which came in at 3.11, was a whole point below the actual ERA. Young will be able to point to the 2025 season as well. deGrom finished with a sub-three ERA and finished top-10 in the Cy Young voting. Getting back to All-Star form was a major, major win for deGrom. Again, a guess, but I'd bet teams would be willing to see if they can tap into that kind of upside. This is not to say Eovaldi is not an appealing trade option. He certainly is. I just don't believe the interest or return would be as great as deGrom. Health has not been a strong suit for Eovaldi the past two years, only making 45 starts. Skip Schumaker opted to use him out of the bullpen down the stretch, finding mixed results. Numbers-wise, sort of similar to deGrom. Brutal 2026 after a Cy Young-caliber '25 if it were not for injuries. A 1.73 ERA with a 218 ERA+ over 22 starts is quite welcome, either on the Rangers or by another team. Eovaldi is a workhorse and someone you usually rely on in a big spot. Big Game Nate is not just some made-up nickname. The national respect for Eovaldi goes all the way back to the 2018 World Series. And while we're here, let's put the fan cap back on for a moment, which Young does not have the luxury of doing. Eovaldi (and Seager) just mean so much to this franchise. Trading away the hero(es) of the 2023 run is just a big, big, big pill to swallow. Again, Young cannot think in this mindset. I'm behind a keyboard, though, and have to admit when there is something additional to my thinking. ## Final verdict? Trading deGrom would be the first avenue I go down if I'm Young. Seager likely attracts the most attention, followed by deGrom, and then Eovaldi. If moving Seager is a no-go in my mind, deGrom not only saves the most money but likely brings back the best package. Keeping Eovaldi has plenty of upside too, on and off the field. Of course, all three of them have no-trade clauses. Godspeed to Young, who is in an incredibly difficult situation in an incredibly crucial offseason for this franchise.