Circle last night’s game. It was the worst game of the season. On a day the Rangers offense finally came alive with thirteen hits and six runs, their pitching fell apart, their defense fell apart, and their baserunning fell apart.
It was a sloppy, embarrassing game highlighted by three runners getting thrown out between third and home in the same inning. The Rangers got five hits, a home run, two doubles, and two singles in the sixth, and scored just two runs.
Willie Calhoun was thrown out by three feet at home inexplicably trying to score on a Rougned Odor double. Odor, leading the league in pickoffs, showed his continued ignorance on the base paths by attempting to score on a ball hit two feet from him. He was caught off guard and off base. Then Jose Trevino rounded third too far and was tagged out trying to get back to the base.
It was yet another loss to a first-place team. Since the All-Star break, the Rangers have played eleven games against three first-place teams: Houston, Cleveland, and Minnesota. After last night’s loss to the Twins, they are 3-8.
That’s a winning percentage of .273.
This team’s surprising early season success was forged on the back of all the teams in the American League like the Rangers that weren’t playing to win from the opening bell. They can beat the bottom feeders.
But when the Rangers play the best, it’s readily apparent they aren’t anywhere near that.
Especially when they play their worse.
*****
TODAY’S GAME:
Jake Odorizi (13-5, 3.44) vs. Mike Minor (11-6, 2.90)
Game time: 7:05