Newly acquired reliever Cody Gearrin.

Playing teams like the Tigers and the White Sox and the Royals might be good for the ego, but it doesn’t give you an honest assessment of who you really are.

That comes when you play the good teams. Like the Red Sox.

Last night’s 5-0 loss to Boston speaks volumes to how far from respectability the Rangers really are.

Against teams that are under .500, the Rangers are 13-14. They’re an under .500 team in the under .500 league. This from a team that was aiming to be competitive this year.

But against teams that are over .500, the Rangers true colors show. They are now 27-38.

This team cannot hang with the big boys. Which doesn’t bode well for Rangers fans in the near future.

The first half ends with three in Baltimore, which is gunning for one of the worst records in baseball history. The Rangers should go into the All-Star game with the swagger of beating the Orioles. But after that, easy street hits a dead end. Coming out of the All-Star game, the Rangers play ten of their next twelve series against top-tier teams.

The Rangers don’t play back-to-back series against under .500 teams until August 31, when they face the Twins then the Angels.

Of the Rangers 21 remaining series after the break, two thirds are against over .500 teams.

The second half is going to be a challenge.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Yovani Gallardo (3-0, 8.17) vs. Hector Velazquez (6-0, 2.76)
Game time: 6:10

How the Rangers hit against Valezquez.
How the Red Sox hit against Gallardo.