The non-tender offer deadline was last night. The Rangers released Jared Hoying, and offered contracts to Sam Dyson, Jake Diekman, Tanner Scheppers, Jeremy Jeffress, Robinson Chirinos, Jurickson Profar and A.J. Griffin.
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Getting back to reviewing each win in the 2016 season: In the sixth game of the year, Texas won 4-1 over Los Angeles, making it two games in a row on the young season and evening their record to 3-3. Here is the recap.
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WHAT’S CALLED A “WINNING STREAK.”
Originally published April 10, 2016
It took the Rangers six weeks to win two in a row last year. This season it took them six games.
That’s much better.
The winning combination so far seems to be Hamels to begin it and Tolleson to end it. Tolleson’s other two outings ended up in disaster.
This is two games in a row that the Rangers clicked in all aspects.
Great starting pitching, featuring Cole Hamels’s ninth regular season win in a row as a Ranger, lowering his 2016 ERA to 2.06.
A shut-down bullpen featuring three scoreless innings, in spite of a one-out Mike Trout double in the ninth.
Solid offense featuring the coming out party of Adrian Beltre, who went three-for-four with a home run.
Great defense, with three more double plays (ten total this season, best in baseball) and no errors (just two this season). Roughed Odor has made major strides since last season.
On the negative side of the ledger, the Rangers lost two starters to injury. Robinson Chirinos broke a bone in his forearm and will be out for months. Shin-Soo Choo tweaked a leg muscle warming up and will probably be out for a game or so. But this is the Rangers. He may need major surgery to add a third leg.
Expect the Rangers quest to land Jonathan Lucroy or Derek Norris to begin again in earnest.
Meanwhile, the Rangers bullpen is back. The Rangers offense is back. And the Rangers are back to .500, with a chance to win three of four from the hapless Angels, who send Jered Weaver and his incredibly disappearing fastball to the mound.
Three in a row is looking pretty promising.