The last time Texas played Minnesota, the Rangers were flying high. They won three out of four in Minneapolis, moving them to 16-17. They had actual delusions of playoffs.

Then, 9-27 happened.

The culprit has been everything. Not enough offense. Not enough starting pitching. And a bullpen that fails far too often. 

Now, instead of playoff hopes, the Rangers are trying to see if they have any salvageable talent on the major league roster. 

They made upgrades all over. But that was like going from the seat on the back of the plane next to the bathrooms to a middle seat between two screaming kids. 

Not much of an upgrade. Especially as the plane is spiraling out of control.

This was never going to be a season of winning. And the Rangers are obliging with that. It’s been about evaluation. 

The challenge is, what to do if a player comes up short. There’s nobody in the system to replace him with. 

Small upgrades are fine. But this team needs major overhauls up and down the roster. 

Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to get rocky. Expect turbulence for the next few years. Prepare for a crash landing.

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TODAY’S GAME: