Rangers dig into the depth chart ahead of the deadline

The Rangers made a pair of roster moves that won't headline anything, but they're worth a look because of what they say about where Texas is right now. The club selected the contracts of left-hander Marco Gonzales and catcher Austin Wynns, adding two veterans with very different paths to the same 40-man roster spot.

MLB Trade Rumors

@mlbtraderumors

Rangers Select Marco Gonzales, Austin Wynns t.co/SRuHTwgWkh

Gonzales' path here is the more interesting one. The 34-year-old is getting his first big-league opportunity since 2024, after flexor tendon surgery wiped out his entire 2025 season. He signed a minor league deal with Texas in late June, just days after getting released by the San Diego Padres, where he'd posted a 7.99 ERA over 13 Triple-A appearances. That's not exactly a resume that screams rotation help — realistically, Gonzales projects as a long reliever for a Rangers pitching staff that needs bodies more than it needs a star turn.

Wynns' story is journeyman stuff in the truest sense. He's now suited up for his third MLB organization of this season alone and his fourth overall, bouncing from the A's to the Braves before landing in Triple-A with the Angels and now getting the call in Texas. He'd been hitting well enough to earn the look, batting.289/.413/.474 across 13 games at Triple-A, and he gives the Rangers a low-cost option behind the plate as they navigate the rest of the summer.

None of this is a blockbuster, but roster churn like this is exactly what teams lean on in the weeks before the trade deadline. Clubs load up on affordable veteran depth to survive injuries and bullpen fatigue without having to give up prospects, and both Gonzales and Wynns fit that mold perfectly — cheap, experienced, and able to soak up innings or at-bats without much risk.

Whether either sticks past the deadline is another question entirely. Gonzales is trying to prove his arm is finally healthy again after basically two lost years, and Wynns has already shown this season he can get squeezed off a roster the moment a team needs the spot back. For now, though, both get another shot to show they belong, and the Rangers get a couple of low-risk pieces to lean on while the bigger deadline decisions play out.