Texas Rangers Continue to Make Baseball History; Do Something Not Seen in More Than 80 Years
What more can we say? The Texas Rangers are really good. They are not just "good, but it's early," and they aren't just "beating up on bad competition." Nope, they are good and a legitimate threat in the American League.
With a walk-off victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, the Rangers are now 39-20 and in first place in the American League West by 3.5 games over the Houston Astros.
They've won four consecutive games and eight of their last 10 en route to the second-best record in the American League.
In fact, the Rangers are so good that they are joining some of the all-time great teams in history.
Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com:
even with a 1-run walk-off win…
highest run differential in 1st 59 games of season, since 1900:
1912 Giants: +175
1902 Pirates: +174
1929 A’s: +172
1939 Yankees: +168
1927 Yankees: +154
2023 Rangers: +153
Any time that you are in conversation with the 1927 Yankees, the antennas get raised.
What makes the Rangers so good offensively is that the lineup is just unrelenting. Last night's starting lineup featured four players hitting over .300 and eight players hitting above .280. There is just no easy place to turn to for an out.
Furthermore, run differential is also a product of pitching, and the Rangers are getting a great deal of that, as well. The team invested heavily in arms the last two years, signing Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, Martin Perez, Nathan Eovaldi and Jon Gray combined in the last two offseasons.
The Rangers will take on the Cardinals again on Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. ET.
Follow Fastball on FanNation in social media
Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by LIKING us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.
You can also subscribe to "The Payoff Pitch" podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
