Not so fast.


The Rangers are playing much better largely due to the resurgent bat of Nathanial Lowe.

Emboldened by the fresh air of a new manager and a restructured front office and the 6-4 record the Rangers have had in that time, many fans are getting wild card fever.

There is not a vaccination for that. There is only reality.

And here is the reality. The Rangers are 10.5 games out of the third and final wild card spot, which is currently owned by Seattle. 

The Rangers have 38 games left. Seattle has 37 games left. At their current pace, the Mariners will win 21 of their remaining 37. That means the Rangers would have to win 32 of their final 38. They would have to play out of their minds, with an .868 winning percentage. They’re at .600 since Tony Beasley took over.

If Seattle cools off and plays .500 ball from here on out, they would win 18 more games. (Well, actually 18.5 but we can round down in the Rangers favor in this dream.) For the Rangers to catch them in this scenario, they would need to win 29 of their remaining 38 games. That’s .763 baseball. 

Even if the Rangers continue at .600, that has them winning 22 of the final 38. Seattle would have to win just 12 of their remaining 37. 

And even if Seattle did do that, the Rangers would have to have the Twins, the White Sox, and the Orioles all suddenly come up with spontaneous comas, because that’s how many teams they would have to jump over to claim that third prize. 

It could happen. 

Tony Beasley could start me in Game 1 of the playoffs too. 

Both scenarios are as likely to happen. 

It’s great to see this team find its footing after nearly four years of inadequate leadership in the dugout. But it is impossible for Texas to make the playoffs this year. 

In fact, it’s even more impossible than impossible. 

*****