There were a lot of gut punches in last night’s loss.

The fact that the offense has disappeared, going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position last night through the first nine innings (and today they face a Cy Young contender).

The fact that Jordan Montgomery pitched the game he absolutely had to pitch in a game the Rangers absolutely had to win, and he got nothing to show for it.

The fact that the Rangers have now lost five in a row, their longest losing streak of the season.  

The fact that the Rangers future Hall of Fame manager made a rare blunder by removing a dominating Jordan Montgomery from the game.

The fact that there are now two games separating the Rangers from third place. 

The fact that both Rangers closers blew a save in the same game.

But the most painful gut punch from last night’s devastating loss is knowing that, if the Rangers do make the playoffs, and they have a great chance to do that, they simply do not have a bullpen that will allow them to go deep, and they’ve had this problem all season, and they did not found any reliable answers. 

The Rangers bullpen has prevented them from running away with this division.

The Rangers bullpen will prevent them from postseason victory.

*****