Being a Rangers fan has always been difficult. This franchise has been mostly irrelevant for its entire existence.

There are six teams to have never won a World Series. The Rangers are one of them. All three American League teams to have never won it all are still in the hunt for the chance to try.

Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Texas.

There is one undisputable truth in baseball, and it has been that way since the beginning of time: A team cannot win the World Series if it does not make the playoffs. Go back and look. No team has pulled off that feat.

Tampa Bay clinched a playoff spot yesterday. They are only a few clicks from first place in the A.L. East, but they are in the playoffs no matter what. 

Now, it’s up to Seattle and Texas to fight it out, with Toronto, and maybe Houston, for a playoff spot. 

Seattle lost three out of four against the Dodgers. Texas lost all three games against the Guardians. Toronto won all three of its games against Boston.

That knocks the Rangers down to—Oh, why go through this sham? Why should Rangers fans be subjected to the agony? This team threw away a golden opportunity long ago. Now it’s just holding on in the rare event it can win one more game than Seattle this year to make the playoffs.

And if they do, they will ride the arm of Jose Lecerc to greatness. Okay, maybe not Lecerc but certainly Jonathan Hernandez. Okay, maybe not Hernandez but certainly Will Smith. Okay, maybe now Smith but certainly Brock Burke or maybe Arolis Chapman, or maybe Jacob Latz or Ian Kennedy, or maybe nobody. 

With this bullpen, the Rangers cannot go far even if they make the playoffs. They will lose miserably and frustratingly.

Here is the first playoff prediction from Rangers Rounding 3rd: The Rangers will not win the World Series in 2023.

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