Rangers' Mike Minor Sick of Trade Rumors: 'Like I Signed so They Could Trade Me'

Miss Texas Rangers starting pitcher Mike Minor with your trade rumors.

"I feel like ever since I signed it's been a topic," Minor said Thursday of the rumors swirling around him prior to the July 31 MLB trade deadline, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jeff Wilson. "It's almost like I signed just so they could trade me." 

The 31-year-old southpaw signed a three-year, $28 million contract as a free agent ahead of the 2018 season.

Minor added that the idea of the Rangers becoming sellers at the deadline "does piss us off":

"He and his teammates don’t like the idea of the Rangers, who entered Wednesday five games above .500 and third in the race for the second wild card, suddenly becoming sellers at the July 31 trade deadline.

They believe they are a playoff team and want general manager Jon Daniels to add pieces at the deadline rather than part with the Rangers’ best players.

"'We’ve been playing well all season,' Minor said. 'Anytime that we lose a couple games, they’re supposedly ready to deal guys when we have 2 1/2 months left in the season.'"  

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Wednesday that Minor is "an increasingly likely trade candidate," which was preceded by Rangers president of baseball operations and general manager Jon Daniels commenting directly on the matter back on July 12: 

Daniels noted, per Wilson, that the team had been approached about trading Minor in the offseason, but "it probably didn't make a lot of sense, and obviously, we didn't. He's taken another step forward, as has the team."

The 41-year-old executive would not commit to the team being buyers, sellers or neither at the deadline.

So far in 2019, Minor has posted an 8-4 record with a 2.73 ERA and 1.164 WHIP while leading the league in wins above replacement among pitchers at 6.0. In addition, he already has 121 strikeouts through 19 starts after striking out 132 in 28 starts last season. 

According to Morosi, Minor isn't the only potential trading chip in the Rangers' clubhouse, listing veteran Hunter Pence and outfielder Shin-Soo Choo as well. However, Minor has drawn interest from the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies.

The Rangers hold a 50-46 record, putting them 9.5 games back in the American League West and five back in the AL wild-card race. 

The organization has not made the postseason since 2016.