Joey Gallo gets his first start of the season and hits a monster home run to left center. Unfortunately, it was not enough.

One more game when the Rangers get down big early.

One more game when the deficit was too large to overcome, try as the offense might.

One more game when the Rangers had no chance even before it started.

Trouble is, the fifth starter for the Rangers has been the kiss of death since Lewis and Holland went down in mid-June.

The Rangers simply have nobody to step into that role.

They tried Cesar Ramos, the dreadful Kyle Lohse, and Nick Martinez,  all with the same degree of success.

None.

Since Lewis’s and Holland’s injuries moved A. J. Griffin up in the rotation and left a void in at the bottom of the rotation, the Rangers have used a fifth starter seven times, going 0-5 with two no-decisions, both of which were loses.

So, when the Rangers fifth starter pitches, they lose. Every time. And it’s not even close.

After last night’s 6-3 loss to Oakland, Nick Martinez is 0-2 in four games. Kyle Lohse was 0-2 in two games. And Cesar Ramos was 0-1.

With a combined ERA of 10.02.

The news that Lohse was DFAed and would be replaced by Nick Martinez to start last night’s game meant one thing: the Rangers would still lose, but by fewer runs than they would have.

The loss was a foregone conclusion.

I will go out on a limb here and declare the Rangers need to find a starter at the trade deadline.

While it would be great if they landed a starting pitcher who was great, the truth is they don’t have to go very high up the food chain to find an improvement.

Someone—anyone—who can prevent them from being buried alive by the third inning, please.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Sean Manaea (3-5, 4.61) vs. Yu Darvish (2-2 , 3.12)
Game time: 7:05 pm

How the Athletics hit against Darvish.
How the Rangers hit against Manaea.