The Texas Rangers were the Official Mystery Team of the 2012 trading deadline, as they swooped in at the last second and acquired Ryan Dempster, who has been the Cubs' best pitcher this year.
Rangers Trade For Ryan Dempster
The 35-year-old Dempster is having the best season of his career, sporting a 2.25 ERA in 16 starts, and striking out 83 in 104 innings, walking just 27. He was reportedly already dealt to the Braves, but he rejected the deal. The Dodgers and Yankees were the other two teams reportedly in play for the right-hander, and the Rangers were rarely -- if ever -- mentioned. That's why they're mystery teams, people.
The Rangers signed Roy Oswalt last month, but he's been horrible so far, with a 6.49 ERA in six starts. Add in Colby Lewis undergoing elbow surgery, and it was clear the Rangers were interested in bolstering their rotation, though not desperate. A pending free agent like Dempster was likely a lower-cost option than what they were exploring with Matt Garza and Zack Greinke.
According to Ken Rosenthal, the Rangers will send two A-ball prospects to the Cubs, one pitcher and one position player.
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