The Rangers took a hard 11-2 beating and didn’t leave much behind in the way of silver linings.
Joc Pederson did provide one of them, going deep and drawing two walks. Corey Seager, back from the injured list, chipped in with a single and a double. Beyond that, there wasn’t much for Texas to hang onto.
Luis Curvelo was the only reliever the Rangers used, and he soaked up the bulk of the damage. He worked 54 pitches in all after entering to cover innings and protect the rest of the bullpen.
Curvelo got through the first two batters of the seventh before the inning unraveled and four runs crossed. Nicky Lopez also appeared, though he is not a pitcher.
That workload should leave the rest of the bullpen fresh for the final two games of the weekend. Curvelo’s outing also likely means he gets optioned so Chris Martin can be activated.
The loss pushed the Rangers back into second place, a half-game behind the Astros. Houston also clinched the season series, giving the Astros the tiebreaker if the two clubs finish with the same record. On top of that, Texas lost the Silver Boot.
Nathan Eovaldi’s fastball topped out at 95.7 mph and averaged 93.6 mph. Curvelo’s heater reached 97.3 mph. Lopez’s fastball hit 83.4 mph and averaged 62.8 mph.
At the plate, Seager’s double came off the bat at 106.9 mph. Pederson’s homer registered 105.3 mph. Wyatt Langford added a 103.0 mph fly out, and Evan Carter lined a 101.2 mph single.
In Other News...
Rangers Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Trade Deadline Plans
After months of injuries and illness interrupted his season, Josh Smith is moving off the Rangers roster, and the club is making a very specific kind of move as the trade deadline approaches. Texas is sending Smith and pitching prospect Josh Stephan to Toronto in exchange for left-hander Adam Macko, a deal that adds a bullpen arm while subtracting a player who had been part of the 2023 World Series club and won last years American League Silver Slugger as a utility man.
Smith had already been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock, so the writing was on the wall for a player whose value had been built on versatility and steady production. Macko has worked in relief for the Blue Jays this season, going 2-0 with a 4.91 ERA in 22 games, and the trade gives Texas another left-handed option as it continues shaping the roster for the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Trade Deadline Shift Could Mean More Than A Salary Dump
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Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore and Jacob Latz are among the names surfacing in those discussions, a sign that the Rangers are at least listening broadly as they gauge the market. The expectation, though, is that the younger core under team control, including Wyatt Langford, Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, remains far more likely to stay put, which leaves plenty of room for the kind of deadline maneuvering that could reshape the roster without fully stripping it down. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Bullpen Shakeup Puts One Veteran In A Brutal Spot
The Rangers bullpen has been in constant motion lately, and the latest move leaves veteran right-hander Chris Martin in a tough spot. Texas activated him from the injured list and then designated him for assignment, a sign of how quickly his season has gone off track amid shoulder issues and uneven performance.
Now the club has only a short window to find a trade partner, with the afternoon deadline looming before Martin likely clears waivers and can choose free agency. The timing underscores how unsettled the bullpen picture remains in Texas, especially with the front office still weighing outside interest in other relievers after the recent losses. [Read more 🡒]