The Texas Rangers have put themselves back in the hunt, but the AL West still leaves them no room to breathe.
Texas beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Tuesday night at home, moving to 75-76 and stretching its winning streak to three games. At the same time, Houston matched that exact score against the Kansas City Royals, which kept the Rangers one game back in the division.
That gap looks manageable on the surface, but it comes with a catch. The Rangers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Astros, so simply pulling even in the standings would not be enough. Texas would still need to finish ahead of Houston to claim the division title.
The clubs will not face each other again in the regular season, so the race is now about finishing cleaner over the final stretch than the other side does. With 11 games left, Texas has at least earned the chance to make that push.
Tuesday night gave the Rangers another encouraging sign. Jacob deGrom was sharp in his return to Globe Life Field, striking out eight and allowing two runs over five innings after recently dealing with groin tightness.
The damage for Texas came in the second inning, when the Rangers piled up all four of their runs. Elias Diaz delivered a two-run double, and Corey Seager followed with a two-run single to break the game open.
Jacob Latz closed it out and picked up his 30th save of the season.
The timing matters for Texas, because this is the club’s final homestand of the regular season. After the Boston series, the Rangers will host the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets before finishing on the road against the Minnesota Twins.
Houston, though, is still doing its part to stay in front. Jeremy Pena hit two home runs Tuesday night against Kansas City, and Yordan Alvarez added more power with his 39th homer of the season.
The Astros will spend time at home as well, with the Royals coming in before a series against the Atlanta Braves.
Texas has climbed back into the race, but catching Houston is only step one. With 11 games left, the Rangers have to finish the job.
In Other News...
Rangers Just Got An Astros Opening They Cannot Waste
The Astros' push for the AL West took a major hit when Carlos Correa was officially shut down for the rest of the 2026 season with a torn peroneus brevis tendon in his left ankle. Correa had already gone through surgery and tried to work his way back, but as the season closed in on its finish, Houston decided there was no path to a return. For a division race this tight, losing a player of that caliber changes the feel of the stretch run in a hurry.
For the Rangers, the timing could hardly be better. Houston still holds a slim lead, but the door has cracked open just enough for Texas to make a real move if it can take advantage in the coming days. These are the moments a contender waits for all summer, and now the Rangers need to make sure this opening does not become the one that gets away. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Just Turned The AL West Race Into A Real Fight
The Rangers kept their footing in a race that suddenly looks a lot tighter after a 7-3 win over the Red Sox. MacKenzie Gore got the start but had to work through an uneasy beginning, and Texas still found a way to steady itself behind Nathan Eovaldi, who covered four effective innings in relief and helped close the door on Boston.
It was the kind of win that carries more weight in September than it might in June, especially with the standings now showing Texas tied with the Astros atop the AL West. The margin in that division has shrunk to almost nothing, and every night now feels like it can tilt the balance one way or the other. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Prospects Are Making A Playoff Case Fans Will Notice
Frisco opened its Texas League Division Series with an 8-7 win over Amarillo in 10 innings, a game that put several Rangers farmhands in the middle of the spotlight right away. It was the kind of playoff opener that serves as a reminder of how much talent is moving through the system, with pitchers and hitters on both sides producing enough action to keep attention fixed on the minor league bracket.
Round Rock also had a bullpen game that featured multiple shutout innings from different arms, giving the Rangers another look at depth on the pitching side. Add in Michael Helman beginning a rehab assignment with some notable work at the plate, and the organizations postseasons at different levels are suddenly carrying a little extra weight for anyone tracking who might be next in line. [Read more 🡒]