The most deflating “victories” are the moral victories, like when the Rangers announcers were trying to find rays of hope in yet another Rangers anemic loss, they pointed out:

“The Rangers almost pulled it out in the ninth.”

“Well, they did have the go-ahead run on base.”

“The offense proved it is still alive.”

‘They never quit.”

Who cares?

The offense was dead for another eight innings yesterday, which is pretty much par for the course. Combine that with a rare bad outing from Nathan Eovaldi, or really any Rangers starter, and you get a 7-5 loss to the Seattle Mariners that puts the Rangers 7.5 games back. 

Is all lost? Not necessarily.

Last year, on June 23, almost exactly one year ago today, the Rangers were 6.5 games up in the division. It was their biggest division lead. Two months later, the Astros caught them.

The season isn’t over. But it’s on life support. This Rangers team is not as good as last year’s Astros team. Not the way it is constructed now. If Chris Young wants to save this season, he needs to trade for offense now, not in six weeks at the deadline. That will be too late.

But if they do, indeed, add a bat on July 31, it will at least be a moral victory.

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TODAY’S GAME: