Rangers Wish To Be Where Astros Are
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In a season long since lost, the Texas Rangers are playing out the string with 2023 in mind.
Texas (58-75) carries a season-high eight-game losing streak into Monday night’s visit to the Houston Astros. The American League West leaders and instate rivals are where the Rangers want to be.
Houston (86-48) had its rebuild the last decade. The Astros have since became a perennial contender, and a painful reminder of where the Rangers once were.
Texas is headed to its sixth losing season in a row.
But during a season that saw a complete reshuffling of the front office, with team president Jon Daniels and manager Chris Woodward fired, the Rangers are trying to remain optimistic and look to the future.
That, at least, is the message from interim skipper Tony Beasley, who’s also auditioning for the full-time job next year.
“That’s the challenge, is to stay motivated when you don’t see a prize,” he said before Sunday's 5-2 loss at Boston, according to MLB.com. “But at the same time, it’s who we are as far as competitors. Guys have personal goals that they’re reaching, and guys are still playing for something.
“A lot of guys are playing for a spot next year. So there’s a lot of things still up in the air. We’re still evaluating this team and who’s a winning player, who’s not, who can go forward with us and who can’t. So the guys still have a lot to play for.”
There have been several promising individual seasons. The half-billion-dollar middle infield combo of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien have been solid. Seager was an All-Star, and both are in the Texas foursome of 20-home run hitters.
Adolis Garcia has backed up last year’s breakout season with an even better campaign. Nathanial Lowe looks to have solidified his spot in the club’s future. Martín Pérez, the starter for the Houston opener, has made good on his bargain one-year contract.
Pérez (10-5, 2.89) going against Houston’s Hunter Brown, who is making his MLB debut.
There’s also reason to be excited about Bubba Thompson and Leody Taveras, and rookie pitcher Brock Burke. But overall is amounted to a dismal second half, as the Rangers stumble to the season’s finish line.
They can only hope next season is better.
You can find Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92.
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