There have been times recently where it seems the Rangers can’t score six runs in a week.

Yesterday, they did it in one inning. In the bottom of the first. After giving the Angels three runs in the top of the inning.

Single. Walk. Single. Double. Sac fly. Error. The first six batter reached, scoring four runs.

Then: Strikeout. Single. Walk. Single. Groundout. 

Texas buried that three-run lead Jon Gray bequeathed. Then turned and scored six runs. Enough to win the game. It was good to see the offense return.

The Rangers are going to be in for an interesting dilemma soon, though. What to do with Sam Huff once Mitch Garver comes off the ten-day I.L. He is due back mid-week.

But Sam Huff is the leading hitter on the Rangers right now. Yes, it’s a small sample size. Only four games and fourteen at-bats. But he is making contact. He is hitting. And surprisingly for Huff, it’s not just long bombs. In fact, Huff doesn’t have a home run yet this season for the Rangers. What he does have, though, is a team-best .357 average and a .714 OPS, which, while isn’t stellar, is third-best on this Rangers team. 

Johan Heim is leading the Rangers in OPS. Garver, by contrast, is among the bottom in most Rangers hitting stats. 

But Garver isn’t going anywhere. He isn’t going to be replaced, either. He is the Rangers primary catcher because of his bat. His bat just hasn’t arrived yet. 

When Garver comes back, however, his arm might not be healed enough for him to catch full-time yet. Which means, the Rangers will still need that catching tandem of Heim and Huff. 

If the two continue to deliver offense, it’s going to make for some tough decisions for Chris Young and the Rangers front office. 

Especially for a team so desperate for offense. Heim got one hit, a double, and drove in two runs last night. Huff, at DH, got two hits. You have to assume Garver will come back and DH for a while. So, does that leave Huff as the odd man out?

Maybe he plays first. 

It’s interesting to note that Huff has now played in fourteen major league games between his stint in the big leagues in 2020 and now this one. His major league line is: .356 BA/.383 OBP/1.005 OPS. So far, he has not been outmatched.

Tough call, indeed.

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