The Rangers have climbed into the trade market for star pitchers a couple of times in recent years, history worth considering as they ponder the possibility again if the news on Yu Darvish’s elbow ligament turns out badly.

Those past forays are instructive:

In the summer of 2010, the Rangers outbid the Yankees for Cliff Lee, swapping first baseman Justin Smoak and pitchers Blake Beavan and Josh Lueke for the left-hander and reliever Mark Lowe. Lee made 15 regular-season starts for the Rangers, then dominated in three playoff starts and helped Texas reached the World Series for the first time in club history. When he departed as a free agent in the winter, the Rangers got a first-round pick as compensation.

Then, in 2013, the Rangers traded for Matt Garza, dealing Class A pitching prospect C.J. Edwards, third baseman Mike Olt and pitchers Neil Ramirez and Justin Grimm to the Cubs. Garza was a problem more than a solution, compiling a 5.02 ERA in 13 starts for Texas; the Rangers missed the postseason. Garza left in free agency, and because the deal was made under new rules and in midseason, the Rangers got nothing in return. Edwards continues to develop within the Cubs’ organization; he threw well on Monday.

The Rangers are weighing internal options, and as they think about external options like Cole Hamels, they can draw upon the experiences of those trades for Lee and Garza -- although neither presents an apples-to-apples comparison.

In 2010, the Rangers were building a power, and Lee was the piece that put them over the top. Although Texas tried to re-sign Lee, it essentially got what it paid for in the deal. In 2013, the Rangers were looking for a starter who could help them hang on, and the Garza deal was a bust, something they probably wouldn’t do again.

So where the Rangers believe they are now will probably be a deciding factor in the choice they make.