HOUSTON -- As the trade deadline inches closer, if the Rangers have anything to trade that could significantly accelerate their rebuilding efforts, it is controllable relief arms.

On Sunday, for the first time in nearly a week, the scouts who have trailed the Rangers got to see them work en masse. Keone Kela is healthy after throwing a career-high 40 pitches Tuesday. Jose Leclerc was nasty again. Alex Claudio remains plucky, even after allowing a pair of runners to start his inning. Mike Minor, who could profile as a back-of-the-rotation starter or return to the bullpen as a hard-throwing lefty, bounced back five days after throwing his highest pitch total in four years.

Where is everybody heading -- or are they going anywhere -- ahead of Tuesday's 3 p.m. trade deadline?

Hey, you'd have an easier time trying to explain how a last-place club could sweep the defending world champions, topping it off by striking out 19 times in the sweep-clinching win. But that's exactly what happened over the weekend, capped by a 4-3 win over Houston on Sunday. No MLB team has ever struck out more than 19 times in a nine-inning win.

Now, let's get weird.

The final countdown to the deadline is always full of frenzied talks. And with the relief market, there are so many moving parts, the situation is going to be fluid. Almost every contending club has been watching the Rangers closely, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh among the most aggressive on Kela, but others are also poking about. Every contender could still use relief help. The Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates are lurking.

"I won't sit here and lie and say I don't think about it," said Kela, who got his 24th save in 25 attempts but did allow a run in the ninth. "I've definitely thought about it more the last week. It's been on my mind. I'm happy that the whole situation will be over in the next couple of days and I'll get to solidify myself wherever I may be.

"It's been difficult [mentally] to a degree. I've been in this organization six years. It's the first time to hear my name on the trading block. It's definitely unique, but it's part of the beast and part of the game. I know that I'm in a great organization, but if I go somewhere else I have an opportunity to win. Hopefully, I get to stay in Texas."

One thing seems clear: The Rangers are willing to move rental Jake Diekman easily enough but aren't going to trade their controllable relievers or Minor unless they get premium value. So much of that will depend on how the market moves in the final lead-up to the deadline.

Sunday's developments on that front:

· Atlanta, which is believed to be interested in any combination of the relievers and possibly third baseman Adrian Beltre, got its second reliever of the week by acquiring Baltimore's Brad Brach for some international cap space. Since the Braves are under international signing restrictions, they essentially gave up nothing. But neither Brach nor Jonny Venters, acquired earlier in the week, are considered big-time additions.

Meanwhile, it was reported the Rangers had three scouts in Scranton, Pa., where the Braves' Triple-A team played the New York Yankees affiliate Sunday.

· Washington, which reportedly entered the weekend on the fence about whether to cut bait on its underwhelming season, lost to Miami and fell below .500. The Nats, who don't play again until after Tuesday's deadline passes, could make established late-inning reliever Kelvin Herrera available.

· Miami, like the Rangers, has multiple relievers to deal, including controllable Drew Steckenrider, Adam Conley and Kyle Barraclough. Conley and Steckenrider combined for two scoreless innings Sunday. The Marlins, like the Rangers, are expected to demand a high return for the controllable relievers.

And it might make more sense to hold on to guys like Claudio and Leclerc, neither of whom is arbitration eligible. They have enough time before free agency that both could be part of the rebuild.

By Tuesday evening, when the Rangers face Arizona, the roster is likely to undergo more changes. All they can do in the interim and afterward is continue to play hard.

"With the trade of [Cole] Hamels and the rumors, this group of guys, they want to play baseball," manager Jeff Banister said. "I think their sanctuary is out on the field. You see it in the energy and by how they play. They put a lot of that stuff behind them for the game."

Come Tuesday, it will be behind them for good.

Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant