2024 Texas Rangers

[FWHORN]

Happy Fourth of July fellow Ranger zealots.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Not a happy outcome for the Rangers. Got very good pitching and excellent defense - and managed to score one run. If the offense will wake up, the team could still win a lot of games - but it's very hard to win when you can scrape up only one run.

 

[Horn6721]

I am a so so fan. Is there any hope?

 

[FWHORN]

I am a so so fan. Is there any hope?

Realistically barring some Oakland A's early 2000's kind of 20 straight wins run in the next three months, the answer is No. The math at this point says this is a 70-75 win team and I suspect the Rangers will be sellers in a few weeks unloading 2 maybe 3 or even 4 starters (Scherzer, Heaney, Lorenzen, and maybe Eovaldi) and a few bullpen arms (Robertson and Yates) to stockpile some young talent and set up for next year.

Langford had an amazing catch today and drove in the only Ranger run so watching him be in the rookie of the year conversation will be fun and I am interested to see what we get from Mahle and possibly DeGrom as we head into August to get an idea of next season.

I am hoping that Texas makes a real run at extending Eovaldi because a rotation next year of DeGrom, Eovaldi, Mahle, Bradford, and Gray, with Dunning, Urena, Cole Winn, and Jacob Latz for long relief and spot starts, could be pretty potent and if the Bochy model of being successful every other year takes hold then setting up for next season should be the goal of the next two and a half months.

I will get pushback on this (Hey Viper Happy Fourth!) but I haven't given up on Leiter either. He is pitching really well in the hitter-friendly Triple-A league Round Rock is in and yes his first two MLB starts were dreadful but remember how bad Bradford was last year when he first came up and he grew into playing a critical role in the WS run, I suspect Leiter can too and would like to see him get that chance this August and September with multiple starts/appearances.

 

[ViperHorn]

Happy 4th FW. Hopefully he will prove me wrong.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

If the Rangers sell some of the impending Free Agent starting pitchers, they need to hold out for the best haul of prospects they can get. The farm system needs some more pitching depth - in hopes the staff can develop some of them into Big Leaguers. And I do hope Leiter continues to develop so he can be ready next season.

 

[WorsterMan]

Hello win column!!!

Very welcome 3-0 win vs TB tonight.

6721, agree with FW, math is just not there for realistic chance of Ranger comeback and secure a wildcard bid. Too big a hole to dig out of.

Getting Jung's bat back soon and eventually DeGrom pitching will be too little and too late.

 

[ViperHorn]

Sorbz in - Dunning out with injury.

Rucker with a good first outing since May 2023.

 

[FWHORN]

Semien gets a huge 2-run shot in the bottom of the seventh and the Rangers win their second in a row today 4-3 over TB. Heaney continues to be the most hard luck of all the Texas starters going 5 1/3 giving up no runs but getting a no-decision. The Rangers are 7 games below .500 but just 7 back of Seattle and now have a 7 game run to the all-star break with one more tomorrow at home and then a six-game road trip to Anaheim and Houston.

 

[FWHORN]

The Rangers' bats were on fire today to close out the 6 game homestand and finish off a sweep of the Rays winning 13-2. Texas sits at 42-48 and just six games back in the AL West with that six-game road trip on tap before the All-Star Game in Arlington. The Rangers are 3 games above .500 at home and an awful 9 games under .500 on the road. Every time I think it's time just to write off the season the Rangers do something like the last three days and keep that glimmer of hope alive for me. It would take a 48 and 24 finish to get to 90 wins (probably the bare minimum to maybe win the AL West or get a wild card) which is 66% win rate over the last 72. Not impossible if the offense wakes up but an extremely tall task. I suspect these next six road games will probably tell us if the Rangers have any shot at all, win 4 of these next six and at least we will go into the All-Star Break with a modest hope still alive.

 

[FWHORN]

After seemingly having half the AL All-Star team last year, this year Texas has just Marcus Semien and Kirby Yates. Frankly, Josh Smith had the best case of any Ranger to be on the team. I keep watching to see if tickets get reasonable but it's 300 bucks just to get in the door right now and that is a little beyond my budget for an exhibition game.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

Frankly, Josh Smith had the best case of any Ranger to be on the team.

I agree, FWHORN. He has been absolutely outstanding as an injury fill-in. Hard to ask for better production from a fill-in.

 

[WorsterMan]

Rangers early 2-0 lead, then LA takes the lead 3-2.

Battling back. End of the 4th, Rangers up: 7- 3!

Bats are ALIVE AGAIN!!

 

[WorsterMan]

Sure would like Jung back in the lineup!

 

[WorsterMan]

Langford HR BOMB scores 2 more T7th:

9 -3

 

[WorsterMan]

Sborz coming in B9th to shut the door!

 

[WorsterMan]

9 -4

Hello win column!!

 

[FWHORN]

Nice start to the road trip. 5 more til the break and winning 3 of those 5 (or better yet 4) would at least set up Texas for a possible run over the last 66 games.

 

[guy4321]

It sure helps playing the Angels to get a W.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

winning 3 of those 5 (or better yet 4)

I like the line of thought. Sweeping the Angels and taking 2 from Houston would be a very nice lead-in to the All-Star break.

 

[WorsterMan]

Tues Eve: Scherzer on the mound.

B3rd, Rangers bats showing life vs weak LA pitchers. Up 4-1.

 

[WorsterMan]

Crap, struggles, 4-3 Rangers. Scherzer gets mound visit. Inning over.

 

[WorsterMan]

Angles tie it 4-4 but Garcia HR regains the lead 5-4, and the eventual win, thanks to Yates pitching to close the door!!!

Scherzer was gritty pitching to set the table early.

What 5 or 6 wins in a row?

 

[WorsterMan]

Pitcher Mahle had a great but short rehab start in Frisco tonight. Back from TJ surgery.

 

[FWHORN]

Season's best five-game winning streak definitely has the Rangers on the cusp of maybe doing something to stay relevant. Win 3 of the next four and suddenly all the talk of being sellers in a few weeks may quiet down.

The Rangers as sellers rumors

Two stories have hit in the past day suggesting the Rangers could be more aggressive in terms of selling than expected

www.lonestarball.com

 

[ViperHorn]

Here is the issue. Seattle leads the AL West with a percentage record of .538. That record would put them in third of the AL Central and fourth in the AL East.

Seattle seems to have cracked so Texas has to make up 3 games on Houston if they want to win the West and make the playoffs. Houston has a better all-around roster, but then they did crash and burn last year.

 

[WorsterMan]

Good guys down 5-2.

Wed. night 2nd time for Garcia, late innings, bases loaded with Rangers, 2 outs.

Garcia too aggressive, especially 2nd at bat - swings on 1st pitch for easy pop up out! WTF!

 

[FWHORN]

Rangers win streak ends at 5 but they take 2 of 3 in Anaheim which was the minimum needed. Now it's on to Houston where they need to take 2 of 3 again to have some hope of being relevant post All-Star Break. Heaney, Eovaldi, and likely Gray will pitch the three games. Just keep winning each series and they will drag themselves back to contention but it is a grind.

 

[Horn6721]

Thanks. Now I am back to paying attention.

 

[FWHORN]

Off day news, Scherzer told a national podcast he will not waive his no trade clause and that he is with the Rangers through end of this season and his contract. He also said he expects Texas to be in the chase these last two plus months and that talk of trading him won’t be necessary because of that.