2023 Texas Rangers

[X Misn Tx]

I'm just glad they're showing some fight. The last 6 weeks has been brutal.

 

[guy4321]

Astros are .500 at home. I hear all Houston fans are begging for their remaining 'home' games to be played at Globe Life Field.

 

[guy4321]

Max Scherzer injury update: Rangers pitcher out for rest of regular season, 'unlikely' to pitch in playoffs

 

[FWHORN]

ESPN update this evening says Scherzer done for year and unavailable if Rangers make playoffs.

 

[WorsterMan]

Losing Max is a MAJOR blow to making the playoffs and advancing if they do.....

 

[WorsterMan]

Now, for some good news: Montgomery pitching very well tonight!!!

T6th Rangers up 7-0!!

 

[FWHORN]

Rangers up 7-0 in the eighth is a little good news for an otherwise dark day. This Texas team has had to face adversity all year with injuries and has overcome them every time so hopefully todays news just means next man up in the locker room and not hanging of heads.

 

[FWHORN]

Now 10-0 in the ninth. Rangers remain tied in loss column with Astros, they are two up on Toronto in loss column and one up on Seattle with one more in Toronto tomorrow as they go for sweep.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Very nice W, especially following the discouraging news on Scherzer. GREAT to see the offense breaking out. I said earlier that 3 of 4 would be great in Toronto, and the Ranger did it. Now I'm hoping for the sweep. Mariners and Astros both off tomorrow, so a W would be worth 1/2 game on both of them - as well as a full game on Toronto in the Wild Card standings. Friday - Rangers at Cleveland, Astros at Royals (should be easy pickings for Houston), Dodgers at Seattle (would help Rangers if LA can sweep the Mariners).

 

[WorsterMan]

Sweet 10-0 shutout!!!

Post game Montgomery asked about Max injury. Said he was bummed about, it motivated him and he had been "furious" with his pitching the last 2 outings. "Let it all out tonight". Establised his fast ball and everything else worked well as a result.

 

[FWHORN]

17 games left including today. 11-6 almost certainly gets the Rangers in as a wild card, 12-5 is a certainty as WC and probably wins division ,13-4 almost certainly wins the AL West. 10-7 might be enough for Rangers to get in as a WC and 9-8 is probably the minimum the Rangers will need but may not be enough to sneak in to the WC barring collapses by one of the other contenders.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Well, so far, so good. Pitching by committee tonight - Eovaldi, Bradford, and Leclrec so far - and holding Toronto to 2 runs on 4 hits. Rangers scored 4 early and hold a 4-2 lead in bottom of 7th. Not over yet, but promising. If they hold on for the win, they will be 1/2-game behind Houston for the AL West, and 1 game up on Seattle and 2 up on Toronto for the Wild Card. (Tampa has a solid lock on the first Wild Card.)
Following this game, Rangers go to Cleveland. Indians are 69-78, 7-1/2 games behind Minnehaha for the Central.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Top of 8th. No outs. Runers on 1st and 2nd. Semien at bat. A couple of insurance runs would be terrific!

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Semien doubles in a run. Now 5-2. Intentional walk to Seager to load the bases. No outs, Lowe at bat.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Lowe singles in 2 more. Now 7-2. Runners on 1st and 2nd. No outs, Garver at bat. Time to blow this one wide open!

 

[HornHuskerDad]

^Sorry, my bad. Taveras pinch-hitting.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Pitching change. I'm off to the garage for a smoke break - be back in a few to continue updates.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

One more on a bases-loaded walk. Now 8-2, bases still loaded, one out. Smith at bat.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Sac fly brings in another run. 9-2, runners on 1st and 3rd. 2 outs. Duran at bat.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Duran flies out to right to end the inning. Rangers send ten men to the plate in the inning and score 5. 9-2, going to bottom of 8th. Looking good - need the bullpen to shut this one down and put it in the Win column.

 

[WorsterMan]

Only able to check the scores here and there.

Woohoo 9-2!

Sweep coming baby!!!

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Nothing doing for Jays in bottom of 8th. ON to top of 9th, still 9-2.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Top of 9th. Runners 1st and 2nd, 1 out. Lowe at bat. A hit here would get the Rangers to double digits (again).

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Lowe has a 13-pitch AB, but grounds into a DP to end the inning. Now on to bottom of 9th. 9-2, Rangers.

 

[WorsterMan]

Final 9-2!!!

A huge and timely ROAD sweep baby!!!

 

[FWHORN]

Rangers get a massive sweep in Canada and now sit 3 games up on the loss column with 16 to play for a WC position. They are just a half game back of Houston and tied in the loss column so everything is still on the table.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Hernandez closes it out. Rangers win, 9-2, to complete the sweep in Toronto. The sweep exceeded our fondest hopes - couldn't have gone better.
Just for general interest, here are the remaining schedules for the four teams of interest:
Houston - 3 @ Kansas City, 3 vs Baltimore, 3 vs KC, 4 @ Seattle, 3 @ Arizona.
Seattle - 3 vs Dodgers, 3 @ OAK, 3 @ Texas, 3 vs Houston, 4 vs. Rangers.
Texas - 3 @ CLE, 3 vs Boston, 3 vs Seattle, 3 @ Angels, 4 @ Seattle.
Toronto - 3 vs BOS, 3 @ NYY, 3 @ Tampa, 3 vs NYY, 3 vs Tampa.
Looks like Houston has the easiest path to the AL West title. Toronto has a rough path to playoffs with 6 against Tampa. Rangers and Seattle square off seven times. Should go down to the wire. Keep in mind - if Houston and Texas tie, Houston has the tie-breaker. If Texas and Seattle tie, Texas has the tie-breaker.
We'll know a lot more after next week. But for today, great news with the 4-game sweep in Toronto.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Well, rats! Just got back from going out to eat - and find the Ranger trailing 4-0 in bottom of 6th. Ranger bats have managed a total of one hit so far. Time for the bats to wake up from the trip from Toronto.

 

[WorsterMan]

So, I look away for an evening when the Rangers play a spare team....

But, NOOOOO!

The pop up score is 6-0!!!

WTF Zealots! Can't I trust you one evening!!?

 

[WorsterMan]

9-0 !!! Seriously?