Joc Pederson hit a lead-off homer for the Rangers. Then, they quit. They called it a night. They folded up their tent and went home, picking up three harmless singles the rest of the night in their dismal 4-1 loss to the Twins. It was Texas’s eighth loss in a row. 

The effort was so poor even Bruce Bochy called out his team after the game, and he is usually the eternal optimist. 

“This was probably our worst game,” he surmised. In a season as disappointing as this one, that’s saying something. And what it’s saying is not positive. 

The offense made a pitcher with an ERA 5.97 look like he was a Cy Young candidate. The were impatient. Undisciplined. And generally appeared to be unmotivated. They didn’t force Twins pitching to work hard, just going out meekly inning after inning.

“I just think the intensity has got to get up here,” Bochy added. 

It’s too late to salvage the season. With last night’s loss, the Rangers are not officially eliminated from the playoffs. 

Eight losses in a row at the most critical time of the season will do that.

A lack of intensity will do that.

Maybe the Rangers can scrape together a little energy in their final five games to see if they win at least one more game this season. 

It won’t matter. But it might help a few of them salvage their pride. 

*****