The Texas Rangers weren't as busy at the trade deadline as they were hoping for in August. In fact, Texas only made two trades of note.

In one deal, Texas sent a minor league infielder few had ever heard of — Angel Arredondo, to the Los Angeles Angels for relief pitcher Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O’Hoppe. The other deal, made on deadline day, saw the Rangers deal utility infielder Josh Smith to the Toronto Blue Jays for relief pitcher Adam Macko.

There isn’t much to go on. But, based on the small returns, the Rangers might regret the move to get Silseth to boost the bullpen.

Why Rangers Might Regret Chase Silseth

Part of the logic for acquiring Silseth, a right-hander, was two-fold. First, he could help Texas with a division title race that fell one win short. Second, because he was not yet eligible for arbitration, the Rangers controlled his rights through 2030. It fits a profile most teams like, a combination of talent and fiscal responsibility.

It just didn’t work out for Texas. With the Angels, Silseth was dealing. In 47 games he was 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA. He struck out 48, walked 22 and allowed batters to hit .230 in 39.2 innings. He also had eight holds.

When he got to Texas the numbers went up. He went 0-2 with a. 5.31 ERA in 26 games. He struck out 26 and walked 13 in 20.1 innings. Batters saw their average go up to .266. So, his strikeout-to-walk ratio narrowed, and batters hit him better down the stretch.

Was it a matter of usage? Silseth threw a career-high 73 appearances in 2026. In fact, that volume was more than all his other MLB appearances combined (35) since his debut in 2022. He lost time in 2024 and 2025 due to elbow surgery that limited him to 12 games. This could be a case of diminishing returns for a pitcher that had never been worked like that before in the Majors.

What he does have is a solid four-pitch mix and three Statcast numbers that the Rangers value. His whiff rate (94th percentile), his strikeout rate (82th percentile) and his hard-hit rate (90th percentile) are where the Rangers want them. Plus, his sweeper is a plus-5 pitch against right-handers per Statcast.

The Rangers are betting that, long-term, Silseth emerges from this season as a long-term right-handed set-up option under team control, which controls costs and gives a closer like Jacob Latz a reliable arm ahead of him.

He may end up being that pitcher. But the early returns may lead the Rangers to regretting the deal if he’s unable to turn it around.