2. Evan Carter Gets Traded
If there's one Rangers prospect that people are deeming truly untouchable, it's Evan Carter. He's one of the best prospects the Rangers have had in a long time, and it's painful to mortgage your future to make a run for one season, especially with how tough the National League is right now. Flags fly forever, sure, but no rental is going to guarantee you a World Series.
Carter is already slashing .298/.413/.471 in Double-A and is still a few months shy of his 21st birthday. Those are early signs of something special. Obviously no prospect is a sure thing, but Carter certainly looks like he's pretty close to one, and you do not want to sacrifice that for a rental.
But what if we could get Ohtani with an extension? At that point, there's almost no amount you wouldn't want to give up in a trade. Packaging Carter and Owen White? Do it.
I don't think Carter is on the table for much short of a deal of that magnitude, but given my high hopes for Ohtani coming to Arlington with an extension, I don't think it's at all unreasonable to put Carter on the trade block.