When Nathan Eovaldi took the mound in the second inning of yesterday’s All-Star Game in Seattle, there were six Texas Rangers on the field.
That hadn’t happened since the 1951All-Star Game when six Brooklyn Dodgers were on the field at once. Back then, though, there were only eight teams in each league, so what the Rangers did yesterday was statistically even more remarkable.
In fact, it caused the radio announcers on ESPN to say, “Welcome back to the Rangers versus the Braves (since Atlanta had eight total players on the roster).”
The Braves have the best record in baseball. The Rangers at one time were close. Now they are hanging on for dear life in the American League West. But they had such a great start, the offensive output was so remarkable those first two months of the season—which just happened to be prime All-Star voting months—that the Rangers slump in June hasn’t prevented them from still being in first place.
If the Rangers had any kind of bullpen, they would easily have ten or twelve more wins, despite the inability to hit with runners in scoring position the last four weeks.
Rangers hitters, by the way, went a combined 0-for-9 in the All-Star Game, with three strikeouts. Eovaldi pitched one scoreless inning, giving up two hits, striking out one.
The National League won the All-Star Game 3-2, their first victory in this thing since 2012. The break ends Friday. But one consequence of having so many All-Stars means six players who badly need a break didn’t get to take advantage of the four days off that the rest of baseball, and he rest of the Rangers, get.
They do, however, have today and tomorrow off before getting back at it against Cleveland at home on Friday.
But six Rangers played together in the All-Star Game. That’s a pretty amazing feat.