This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers as Breaking Down Excellent Grade Rangers Received for Merrill Kelly Trade. As the trade deadline has come and gone, the Texas Rangers were a fairly active team.

On Thursday, the Rangers' rotation had an MLB-best 3.16 ERA. It’s only going to get better. With less than an hour to go until Thursday's 5 p.m. CT Trade Deadline, Texas acquired Merrill Kelly from the Diamondbacks for a trio of pitching prospects.

On top of that, the Rangers sent Arizona three minor league pitchers: LHP Kohl Drake, their closest-ready minor league starter, rising prospect David Hagaman and LHP Mitch Bratt. It’s safe to say the trade for Kelly was a vote of confidence in the team as the Rangers enter the home stretch in a tight playoff race.