Since sweeping the Angels in a three-game series in mid-April, the Rangers have now lost six series in a row, losing the rubber game in Boston yesterday in typical 2025 Rangers fashion 5-0.

It was another uninspiring offensive performance. The Rangers actually got more walks than hits. They had a lot of runners on. But, once again, couldn’t figure out how to get them to score.

Maybe this team that, in the words of general manager Chris Young was “build to win” isn’t that good. Maybe treading .500 is the best this team can hope for. Maybe the offense isn’t going to get much better. 

When they acquired Joc Pederson and Jake Burger, it was to add the finishing touches to the offense. Maybe the Rangers needed a lot more than just a veneer. Maybe the whole thing needs sanded down and refinished.

Maybe Semien, Garcia, Jung, and Heim aren’t in slumps. Maybe this is who they are now. Semien signed a long-term contract and, like with everyone who does, eventually there is an expiration date that is reached before the end of the contract. Maybe that’s happened. And maybe Garcia’s swan song was his glorious Sherman’s march through Houston in the 2023 playoffs. If that’s the case, he went out in a blaze of glory. And maybe Jung never does fulfill his offensive potential, and that fact has been masked by his constant injuries. He certainly wont’ be the first or last to not live up to his potential. And maybe Heim’s first half of 2023 is the best they’re going to get. No shame in that. (Remember, Heim’s second halves are always abysmal, so whatever they get this year before the All-Star break is as good as they are going to get this year.) So, maybe adding an underperforming Burger and Pederson to this mix only exasperates the collective underperformance.

Until the Rangers prove they can, they can’t. Until they prove they are, they aren’t. Until they prove the will, they won’t.

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