But there is another option to fill the hole created by Young’s hamstring injury: A trade.

Though any player acquired would not be eligible for the playoffs, if the Rangers qualify, the club can still make a deal to help it get to the playoffs. The Rangers are weighing the pros and cons of making a September trade. The biggest decision is whether getting a player who may only play regularly for two or three weeks is worth the price in whatever prospect or prospects the Rangers would have to surrender. The Rangers expect Young to be back before the playoffs begin. Young said he’s hoping to return for a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angeles that begins on Sept. 18.

In the meantime, there are three potentially attractive options out there for the Rangers to ponder. None would cost the Rangers more than $1.5 million in salary for the rest of the year and none have long-term contracts that would require commitments for 2010. A look at those options listed in alphabetical order.

• Garrett Atkins, Colorado: Atkins, 29, has lost playing time to Ian Stewart this season. The Rangers had discussed him as a potential right-handed bat at the trade deadline. Atkins is hitting .274 against left-handed pitching, which would make him a good fit for a lineup that has struggled against lefties, but is hitting only .203 vs. righties. After hitting .286 or higher in each of the last four seasons, Atkins is batting just .229 with a .338 slugging percentage. Though he falls short of qualifying for the NL leaders, that slugging percentage would rank in the bottom 10. Atkins is being paid $7 million this year, leaving about $1.15 million left on his deal. He is under control for one more year, meaning the Rangers could elect to keep him for 2010 by tendering him a contract.

• Melvin Mora, Baltimore: Mora, 37, is hitting .262 with six homers and 37 RBIs. He has a pair of 100 RBI seasons in his career and is versatile enough to move to other positions if need be. In a lot of ways, he’s a more accomplished version of Esteban German. The problem is he’s seen a significant dropoff offensively this season. His .351 slugging percentage is the lowest of his career and down more than 100 points from last year. Also, Mora is due $9 million for this season, leaving roughly $1.5 million left on his deal. It makes him the most expensive of the realistic options.

• Fernando Tatis, New York Mets:  Tatis was once considered the pride of the Rangers farm system and made his debut in 2007 at the age of 22 and was part of the deal that brough the Rangers Todd Stottlemyre and Royce Clayton at the trade deadline in 1998. He had at 34-homer season in 1999, but has never come close to reaching that potential again. He was out of the majors entirely for two years and this season, at 34, he’s been more of a utility player than a third baseman. He has more starts at first than anywhere else. Like the other candidates, he is a right-handed hitter. He enters Wednesday hitting .263 with a .324 OBP and .425 slugging average. His chief advantage is that he is the cheapest of the three. There is only about $300,000 remaining on his $1.7 million contract and he can be a free agent after this season.

Recently re-signed Travis Metcalf apparently is not a primary consideration. If the Rangers don’t acquire a third baseman, they might look at Metcalf as a possible defensive replacement, but he’s had a poor year in the field and at the plate for the Kansas City organization.