Rangers’ Winning Streak Comes to an End
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Joc Pederson struggled for two months, broke his hand, missed two months, then took six rehab at-bats and returned to the middle of the Rangers lineup for a crucial stretch.
What could go wrong?
On Monday, with a winning streak on the line, the ball too often found Pederson and Pederson couldn’t find it in a 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
It ended the Rangers’ six-game winning streak and halted their march into the playoff hunt, at least temporarily. In the AL West, they did not gain ground on the Astros, who lost for the fifth straight game. They remain four games back. They did lose ground to Seattle in the AL Wild Card race and now effectively trail the Mariners by two games since Seattle already owns the season-series tiebreaker.
Impact on the Rangers
But they had chances. It’s just that those chances seemed to come with Pederson at the plate. And on both occasions, he struck out.
“He’s trying to get his timing,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He did smoke one ball [a hard bouncer to first]. But, yeah, I think it’s fair to say he’s not locked in. He will be off [Tuesday against lefty Yusei Kikuchi], but he’s a big part of this offense and we definitely need to get him going.”
After a soft grounder to the pitcher and a hard bouncer to first in his first two at-bats, Pederson came to the plate with two on and a tie game after the Rangers received a potentially game-changing break in the form of a two-out, bases-loaded dropped fly ball by Gustavo Campero that allowed two runs to score.
Pederson took a 1-0 fastball in the heart of the zone from Jack Kochanowicz, couldn’t put two other pitches in the middle of the zone in play and struck out on a full count fastball well out of the zone to end the rally.
Pederson’s Struggles Continue
Two innings later, down 6-3, Pederson came up as the tying run with two outs. He saw nothing in the center of the zone, but was called out on strikes on a slider-fastball combo from Ryan Zeferjahn at the bottom of the zone.
He is 0 for 8 since returning and has not yet gotten the ball out of the infield. He looks rusty. But the problem is determining what is rust and what is corrosion. He is hitting only .123 for the season in 130 at-bats. He is flirting with history. In the last 100 years, only four players have had at least 200 at-bats and season batting averages of less than .150.
Other Rangers News
To be fair, the night was a relative struggle for, of all people, Jacob deGrom, too. DeGrom allowed five runs in 5 ⅓ innings, including a pair of homers.
“We were just a little bit off tonight,” Bochy said. “On both sides.”
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Click or tap here to sign up for our Rangers newsletter.
Conclusion
The Rangers’ winning streak came to an end on Monday, and it was largely due to the struggles of Joc Pederson. Despite having chances to win, Pederson’s inability to get the ball out of the infield and his striking out on crucial occasions led to the team’s loss. The Rangers will need to get Pederson going if they want to make a push for the playoffs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the final score of the game between the Rangers and the Angels?
A: The final score was 6-4 in favor of the Angels.
Q: How many games back are the Rangers from the Astros in the AL West?
A: The Rangers are four games back from the Astros.
Q: What is Joc Pederson’s current batting average for the season?
A: Joc Pederson is hitting .123 for the season in 130 at-bats.
Q: How many players have had at least 200 at-bats and season batting averages of less than .150 in the last 100 years?
A: Only four players have achieved this feat in the last 100 years.
