Introduction to the Texas Rangers’ Season
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — This quote, delivered from Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young to The Dallas Morning News Friday afternoon, may define this season.
“Baseball,” he said, “is a weird sport.”
The last week of Texas baseball defines that. The Rangers, presumed to be out of the postseason race as recently as a week-and-a-half ago, have won eight of nine games and swept two teams to pull themselves back into real-deal competition.
Go figure.
The Rangers have shown significant improvement in their recent games, and their fans are excited to see how the rest of the season will play out.
Five Things We Learned This Week
Here are five things we learned in the week that was.
Weekly Playoff Odds Update
Eight wins in nine games, believe it or not, can improve a team’s postseason odds.
Marginally.
The Rangers have a 14.4% chance to qualify for the playoffs, according to FanGraphs’ model, which is slightly more than a 3% improvement over where they stood this time last week.
A trifecta of hurdles remain in their way: injuries, strength of schedule and competition.
The losses of shortstop Corey Seager, second baseman Marcus Semien and right-hander Nathan Eovaldi for potentially the remainder of the regular season do not statistically favor the Rangers’ chances with less than a month to play. The slate of opponents that they are scheduled to face between now and the regular season finale — which include the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets — is the fifth toughest in baseball according to Tankathon.
August Through the Eyes of the New Guy
The roller coaster month that the Rangers endured in August may best be viewed through the eyes of right-hander Merrill Kelly. Consider his perspective.
- He was acquired in a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the July 31 trade deadline when the Rangers were just a game back of the third Wild Card position and on a hot streak.
- He watched as the Rangers fell to three games under .500 and five-and-a-half games out of the postseason by Aug. 21.
- He then witnessed a stretch in which the Rangers won eight of nine games — two of which he started — to pull themselves back into a position of contention.
Welcome, Merrill, to the 2025 Rangers Experience.
“I’ve got to give our guys a lot of credit,” Kelly said. “You speak on all the injuries we’ve had, and to bring ourselves back and put ourselves in contention the way we are with the guys that we have, we’re scrapping and we’re playing good baseball right now and it’s cool to watch.”
The Ace Impact Goes Beyond the Field
No, the Rangers will no longer benefit from Nathan Eovaldi’s gifted arm for the remainder of this regular season.
Yes, the Rangers will continue to benefit from his equally gifted mind and efforts as a teammate and leader.
Just ask Jack Leiter.
Eovaldi, who was placed on the injured list Tuesday with a rotator cuff strain, did not travel with the Rangers to West Sacramento but remains engaged nonetheless. The 35-year-old scouted the Athletics lineup, despite the fact that he wouldn’t pitch, and shared his report with Leiter before Friday’s series opener.
Leiter responded with one of his best starts yet this season — six innings, two runs, seven strikeouts — and gave the staff’s leader his flowers afterward. Eovaldi, whose 1.73 ERA paced the team before his injury, is a renowned mentor to younger pitchers within the Rangers organization.
Is Another Second-Half Surge Upon Us?
Let’s flash back, if you’ll allow us, to the conclusion of last season. Then-rookie outfielder Wyatt Langford orchestrated an incredible month of September in which he was named the AL’s Rookie and Player of the Month to conclude his first year in the major leagues.
It represented the peaks that the former fourth overall draft choice could reach.
It may be upon us again.
Langford, 23, has slashed .340/.471/.660 with four home runs in his last 15 games and developed into a central force of these resurgent Rangers with a host of their core sidelined. He’s reached base in 20 consecutive games as of Sunday’s win, excelled at both leadoff and in the heart of the Texas order and continued to prove that his upside as a defensive playmaker is legitimate.
Trivia Time
The Rangers had played just one game without both of Seager and Semien in their lineup in the four seasons since both signed with the club prior to Friday’s win against the Athletics.
Can anyone wager a guess as to when that was?
We’ll wait.
It was Sep. 4, 2024, in a 10-6 win vs. the New York Yankees at Globe Life Field. Super utility man Josh Smith started at shortstop in place of Seager, who was then sidelined with a sport hernia injury, and infielder Ezequiel Duran started at second base while Semien received a rare day off.
The leaders that day? Langford and ex-first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who both had three hits, and Eovaldi after seven innings of two-run ball vs. the eventual AL champions.
That season ended earlier than the Rangers would’ve hoped for.
Time remains for this one to end differently.
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Conclusion
The Texas Rangers have shown significant improvement in their recent games, and their fans are excited to see how the rest of the season will play out. With a 14.4% chance to qualify for the playoffs, the Rangers still have a long way to go, but they are determined to make it happen. The team has faced several challenges, including injuries to key players, but they continue to play good baseball and are scrapping to stay in contention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Texas Rangers:
Q: What are the Rangers’ chances of making the playoffs?
A: The Rangers have a 14.4% chance to qualify for the playoffs, according to FanGraphs’ model.
Q: Who are some of the key players that have been injured?
A: The Rangers have lost shortstop Corey Seager, second baseman Marcus Semien, and right-hander Nathan Eovaldi to injuries.
Q: How have the Rangers performed in their recent games?
A: The Rangers have won eight of their last nine games and swept two teams to pull themselves back into contention.
Q: Who is the leader of the Rangers’ pitching staff?
A: Nathan Eovaldi is the leader of the Rangers’ pitching staff, with a 1.73 ERA before his injury.
