The Rangers played a double header last night. Oh, it counted as only one game. It was only nine innings. But it was two completely different games. 

The first five innings, of Game 1 of yesterday’s “double header” featured the 2025 Texas Rangers. Great pitching, dead offense. Through the first give innings, the Rangers total offense was: A one-out Kevin Pillar double in the second, he was stranded there. A Corey Seager leadoff walk in the fourth, he was stranded there. And a Jonah Heim leadoff walk in the fifth, he was immediately erased on a double play.

Then the Rangers turned to small ball. And something big happened. Game 2 of the “double header” had action and scoring and something called offense.

Leody Taveras lead off the bottom of the sixth with a perfect bunt single. He stole second and took third on a throw that ended up in center field. Marcus Semien connected on a ball that was inches from going out, but at least resulted in the Rangers first run, scored on a bunt and a sac fly. Old school baseball. 

That seemed to kick start the Rangers for the seventh. They did something very rare, back-to-back extra-base hits. With one out, Jonah Heim doubled. Then Kyle Higashioka doubled. The Rangers had a second run.

And the eighth inning could only be described as an offensive explosion for the 2025 Rangers. Two runs. Two. In one inning. Corey Seager doubled. Josh Jung singled him in and scored himself on a single by Pillar and a couple of Angels errors. 

Tyler Mahle was masterful through six, not allowing a run. The Rangers bullpen followed suit. 

And in the end, the Rangers won 4-0. It took them a while to get going. When they did, it seemed like two totally different teams. One that just flails at every pitch. One that plays small ball and uses every inch of the field to its advantage.

That Rangers offense should stay around.

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