The Rangers head into the final three games with no room to waste anything. They’re tied with the Astros atop the AL West, but Houston owns the tiebreaker, so Texas has to finish first outright to get into the postseason. That puts a premium on every inning in Minnesota, and the timing could hardly be better for the Rangers.
The opener gives Texas a chance to strike with Jacob deGrom on the mound against Joe Ryan. Ryan has long had the profile of a pitcher opponents circle on the calendar: big strikeout stuff, very few walks, and a reputation as one of the American League’s better arms over the last several seasons.
But he hasn’t looked like that version lately. He missed most of August with a left glute strain and has put up a 5.54 ERA since coming off the injured list on September 7.
Even beyond the injury layoff, the second half has been rough, with a 7.62 ERA overall.
DeGrom, meanwhile, has dealt with his own injury issues, but he’s also flashed the kind of dominance that changes a series. The 38-year-old was hit hard last time out against the Blue Jays, yet he still owns a 2.95 ERA in September. If Texas wants a starter who can settle things down in a pressure spot, deGrom is the obvious bet.
Minnesota’s injury list also lines up in the Rangers’ favor. Byron Buxton, who was once a popular rumored target for Texas before the Twins decided to buy at the deadline, is done for the year after season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his hip.
Buxton has only played 92 games this season. His absence strips away one of the Twins’ most dangerous all-around players, with his defense, power and speed all missing from the mix.
The hits keep coming for Minnesota. Trevor Larnach, who has a .269/.352/.436 line, is out for the season with a wrist injury, and top prospect Kaelen Culpepper is sidelined with a hamstring issue. Ryan Jeffers still gives the Twins a dangerous bat behind the plate, but the lineup has lost plenty of its punch.
There’s also the broader state of the Twins themselves. They were 48-49 at the trade deadline and added veterans in hopes of making a push, but the move hasn’t paid off.
Minnesota has gone 27-35 in the second half and is now officially out of the playoff race. For the players still on the roster, that’s a tough place to be.
The club has also started giving chances to younger players like top prospect Walker Jenkins, which only adds another layer of uncertainty. Bored veterans and overwhelmed youngsters are not exactly a recipe for sharp baseball, and the Rangers need to cash in on that.
In Other News...
Astros Deadline Gamble Just Added New Drama To The AL West Race
The Astros went to the deadline with one clear move, picking up Daulton Varsho from the Blue Jays in exchange for Spencer Arrighetti, but the addition has quickly come with some extra baggage. Varsho has struggled at the plate, and now he is expected to land on the injured list because of wrist cysts, with surgery even being considered.
For the Rangers, the timing matters because they are still locked in a tight AL West race with Houston and both clubs are trying to patch together pitching in the stretch run. A deal that was supposed to give the Astros a boost instead has introduced more uncertainty, and with only a few games left, every bit of roster drama can ripple through a division chase that has stayed this close. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Finally Have A Little Life In The Playoff Race
A badly needed win gave the Rangers a little breathing room in a playoff race that had started to feel like it was slipping away. Kumar Rocker steadied the game with five innings of one-run ball, Jordan Montgomery finished it off for a save, and Josh Jung and Corey Seager supplied the power with home runs that gave Texas enough offense to stop the bleeding.
There is still a long road ahead, but at least the math has not gone completely stale. Fangraphs still gives the Rangers a 28.7% shot at the postseason, which means this is less about comfort than survival, and every clean outing or timely swing matters a whole lot more now than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Rotation Mystery Shows How Far Texas Is Pushing This Race
Jacob deGrom is lined up to start Fridays series opener against the Twins, a sign the Rangers are still leaning on their biggest arm as the division race tightens and the calendar starts dictating more of the conversation than usual. With Texas trying to squeeze every edge out of a crowded schedule, the club is managing its rotation carefully and keeping an eye on who can take the ball when the margin for error keeps shrinking.
The final two games of the series are still unsettled, which says plenty about where this race stands and how much the Rangers are willing to juggle to stay in it. Several pitchers availability is still shaping what comes next, and until those decisions are finalized, the rotation remains part strategy, part chess match, with Texas trying to protect both the present and what comes after. [Read more 🡒]