What First-Half Grade Did Rangers Get From ESPN?
After the All-Star Game, ESPN.com gave every Major League team a grade for its performance so far in 2022.
The Rangers are 41-49 heading into its second-half opener in Miami on Thursday. After reaching .500 on the final day of May and appearing to turn a corner, the Rangers are been mired in inconsistency and finished off the first half by being swept in four games by the Seattle Mariners at home.
So, why does ESPN believe the Rangers deserve a C?
Are they going to make the playoffs? No. Do they still need a lot of help in the rotation? Yes. Are things going in the right direction? That remains to be seen. Free agents Corey Seager and (Marcus) Semien picked things up after sluggish starts (Semien in particular was awful in April, hitting .157 with no home runs), so we'll see where their final numbers end up before passing judgment on the first year of their megadeals. It has also been a rough go for some of their top prospects. Jack Leiter, the second overall pick last season, has had big-time control issues at Double-A, while Josh Jung tore a labrum in spring training and has yet to play. Throw in the unknown status of All-Star Martin Perez (Will he be traded? Signed to a long-term deal? Be this good again?) and the Rangers' future remains murky.
The Rangers sent two players to the All-Star Game — Perez, who pitched a scoreless inning of relief, and Seager, who played the last three innings and went 0-for-1 at the plate. Seager also participated in the Home Run Derby at his former home field, Dodger Stadium.
The Rangers are preparing to begin the second half of their season on Thursday when they face the Miami Marlins at 12:10 p.m. CT Thursday. The game is being played to make up a contest postponed from April 4 due to the lockout. The Rangers then get on a place and head to Oakland to begin a three-city, nine-day trip on the west coast that will take them to Seattle and Los Angeles after that.
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