Rangers walk leader Shelby Miller takes the mound tonight.

The Rangers aren’t the only team trying this new patient approach at the plate.

It seems the Rangers opponents have caught on too.

While offensively Texas hitters have drawn the third-most walks in the league, 153 free ones, Texas pitching has given up the second-most walks in the American league, 160.

Not surprisingly, they’ve scored the fourth-most runs (213) but given up the third-most (216).

Nothing says under .500 team like that.

But it seems maybe the Rangers are losing their patience with this new patient approach. The Rangers have been striking out much more lately and are, in fact, moving up the list in most strikeouts in the American League. They’ve struck out 378 times. Rangers pitchers are dead last in batters they’ve struck out, at just 291. Dead last in all of baseball.

It was a team that seemed to have its offense going even though its pitching suffered. Now the offense is cooling as well.

Nothing says long grueling season like that.

But there is good news. The Rangers are heading to Kansas City to play the team that is right behind them in walks given up. There is a Jekyll and Hyde-like disparity in teams in the American League. Either really really good ones, or really really bad ones. The Rangers and Royals are in the latter. Kansas City is especially bad, though. Like only one-half game better than Baltimore bad.

So now it’s the chance to see who is the best of the worst. Two last-place teams battling it out for—

Battling it out because the games are officially on the schedule and they are contractually required to play them.

If you like walks, the next three games will be your cup of tea.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Shelby Miller (1-2, 7.48) vs. Danny Duffy (1-1, 3.06)
Game time: 7:15