The Texas Rangers are trading infielder Josh Smith and pitcher Josh Stephan to the Toronto Blue Jays for lefthanded reliever Adam Macko, per multiple reports.
Macko, 25, was a 7th round pick of the Mariners in 2019, and was sent to the Jays after the 2022 season, along with Erik Swanson, in the Teoscar Hernandez deal. Macko has split the season between AAA and the majors, putting up a 4.07 ERA in AAA and a 4.91 ERA in the majors. He relies primarily on a fastball and a slider, with the occasional
changeup and knuckle curve. He has average velocity but struggles with his control and command. He will have six years of team control remaining after this season.
This is a sad ending to Josh Smith’s time in Texas. Acquired as part of the Joey Gallo deal in 2021, Smith spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons as a regularly-used bench guy who didn’t hit much, then broke out with two very good seasons in 2024 and 2025, when he slashed .254/.336/.380 with a 6.4 bWAR in 293 games, though he faded badly in the final two months of those seasons.
Smith started the 2026 season as the replacement for Marcus Semien at second base, but ineffectiveness, a strained glute, and then a case of viral meningitis while he was on the i.l. with a strained glute resulted in his losing his job to either Ezequiel Duran or Nicky Lopez, depending on who else was on the i.l. Smith will have two years of arbitration eligibility remaining after this season, and is making just $3.23 million this year. This deal saves the Rangers about $1 million in the remaining obligation to him for 2026, and let’s them avoid having to make a decision as to whether to non-tender him if he doesn’t turn things around over the final two months.
Stephan, 24, is a Texas native who the Rangers signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020. A pitchability guy, was very good in the lower levels but struggled in AA and AAA, as is often the case with pitchability guys. He was slated to be a minor league free agent after the season and the Rangers almost certainly weren’t adding him to the 40 man roster.
