There’s that space on a Monopoly board called Free Parking where if you land there, you get a reprieve. It’s a breather. A chance to drop your bags, get a cold one, unwind, exhale, and brace yourself for all the challenges that await on the next roll.

The Chicago White Sox are baseball’s Free Parking. They are as close to a sure thing as has every happened in the sport. 

So, when the Rangers rolled the dice and the luck of their schedule had them land on the Chicago White Sox Free Parking space at the time when they absolutely had to land on the Chicago White Sox in order to avoid bankruptcy and ruin, it was a welcome reprieve in the schedule. It was like another All-Star break, but this one automatically added four Ws to their ledger. 

It was great to sweep the White Sox. Everybody does it, but it’s good that the Rangers did it too. It was expected but that doesn’t make it automatic. It was as close to automatic as it gets though. 

After the All Star break, in games the Rangers absolutely needed to win, the Rangers lost two of three to Baltimore. That was expected. It was unfortunate but expected. Then, the four-game Free Parking. Now, the Rangers play a major league schedule again. Now they have three in Toronto. The Blue Jays are struggling, but at least they are a major league team. 

The Rangers have won five in a row—four of those by one run, which is a testament to their bullpen, which last year would not have allowed them to win any of those games. They are one game under .500, which has eluded them since May 21 when they lost to the Phillies to go 21-22. Since then, they have been taking on water.

Now they have a chance to get t0 .500, get above .500, and actually make a legitimate claim at a division race. 

Their White Sox vacation is over. Time to play baseball again. Good luck, Rangers. 

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