ARLINGTON – As the Rangers bullpen turns:

It becomes more likely that Eric Gagne and Akinori Otsuka stick around. It becomes more likely that Joaquin Benoit goes.

According to a major league source, the Rangers are "strongly leaning against" trading Gagne before the July 31 trading deadline. They are more likely to pursue a contract extension that could keep him here for at least two years.

Citing club policy, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels declined to discuss specific details of talks with Gagne. Gagne also demurred, but he reaffirmed his desire to stay with the Rangers.

"I want to stay here, and they know that," Gagne said. "I think we will be a winner next year, not the year after. I wouldn't want to stay if I didn't think that. I think we are really, really close."

Gagne can be a free agent at the end of the year, and his incentive-laden contract, with a base of $6 million, could pay him up to $11 million. Keeping him would probably require a multi-year deal with an annual value that includes a significant upgrade over his current base salary.

But retaining Gagne and Otsuka, who is on the disabled list with inflammation in the forearm muscle, could give the Rangers a very strong back end of the bullpen.

The Rangers will still consider dealing Otsuka if he gets back to the active roster before the July 31 deadline, but if he makes it back, he will have no more than two or three days to convince other clubs he's healthy. Given that he would be under the Rangers' control for two more seasons, and with his potentially diminished trade value, the Rangers could opt to keep him.

That's why clubs are starting to pay more attention to Benoit, who is having a breakthrough year. He entered Friday having allowed a run just once in his last 11 games. That stretch included a plucky pitching performance at Los Angeles on July 15, when he entered the game with the bases loaded and snuffed out a jam. Scouts from bullpen-hungry clubs such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers were on hand.

The Dodgers recently picked up 42-year-old Roberto Hernandez. Over the first seven games following the All Star break, the Dodger bullpen compiled a 5.23 ERA and allowed eight homers in 31 innings.

Los Angeles has talked with the Rangers about Mark Teixeira, but those conversations have moved slowly. Teixeira could become more interesting to Atlanta as the trade deadline nears. The Braves had a scout at Friday's game.


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