Matt Garza trade hasn’t paid off (yet) for the Rangers

Texas gave up a strong four-player package to get Matt Garza from Chicago on July 22, paying a premium to pick up the impending free agent for less than half of a season.

When injuries later wrecked the Rangers’ rotation the decision to add Garza looked even more important, but his actual performance since the trade has been lacking. Garza lasted just four innings in a loss to the Pirates yesterday and is now 3-4 with a 4.46 ERA in 10 starts for the Rangers.

He’s posted a strong 63/17 K/BB ratio in 67 innings, but Garza has also served up 10 homers and has allowed at least four runs in six of his last eight starts. Here’s what manager Ron Washington told Todd Willis of ESPN Dallas about what he’s seen from Garza so far:

This guy is a good pitcher. Things haven’t been going the way we would’ve liked for them to go, totally, but the bottom line is when the pitcher takes the mound it’s his job is to keep you in the ballgame. Although he hasn’t been winning ballgames at a rate you think he will, he’s still been keeping us in ballgames.

Not exactly that the Rangers paid for. Of course, if the Rangers make the playoffs and Garza comes through with a couple impressive starts what he did in the regular season will become a distant memory. However, his struggles could lead to Texas missing the playoffs and without knowing what will happen in the future the trade certainly isn’t looking like a good one right now.