Rangers’ Elite Pitching Can’t Stop Slide in AL Wild Card Race

The Texas Rangers are struggling to close out games and bring consistent offense.

Aug 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) pitches during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers have arguably the best pitching staff in baseball which is led by Nathan Eovaldi who is having a record-breaking season, but it just isn't quite enough to push them over the hump to get that final spot in the wild card race. Even though the ballclub had a strong start to the second-half of the season, August has not faired well for them as they continue to slide further from the path to the postseason.

The team is now 4-8 to start the month with a lone series victory over the New York Yankees, which is about the only positive that has gone their way in terms of the wild card, as the Yankees have sole possession of that last spot.

Other than that, they lost a four-game stretch to the Mariners, were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies, and most recently gave away a series to the Arizona Diamondbacks despite having arguably the best pitching rotation in baseball.

Top Arms in the League

The Rangers are leading all of baseball in multiple categories, including league lows in ERA (3.32), WHIP (1.17), and opposing batters' averages (.226 tied with the San Diego Padres). The rotation is led by Nathan Eovaldi who is posting a 1.17 ERA in his 20 starts this season. Eovaldi is complemented nicely by Jacob deGrom, who is 10-5 on the year with an ERA of 2.86.

There was a lot of confusion surrounding the moves the front office made at the trade deadline, as they went and got a pair of relievers and another starting pitcher (Merrill Kelly). Both relievers, Danny Coulombe and Phil Maton, let a pair of victories slip through the ballclub's fingers in this series against the Diamondbacks.

Aug 12, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) throws during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field. | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

Series with the Diamondbacks

Before diving into the woeful, there was positive hindsight in this series where the Rangers' offense appeared to have shone some sort of light, particularly with their third baseman, Jake Burger, who has had a trying year and hasn't had much luck since he returned to the roster off the injured list. In the eventual 6-4 loss in game three, he went two for four with a two-run homer and a pair of RBI.

It was a quiet night in game two for both offenses. The score was deadlocked at two going into the ninth, and Danny Coulombe was in charge of closing the game out. With two outs on the board second baseman Ketel Martel launched a walk-off home run 445 feet to end the game.

Going into the ninth inning of the last game, the Rangers had a 4-2 lead, but history ended up repeating itself from the night before. Phil Maton was in at reliever and with two outs on the board he threw a homerun ball to James McCann, but that would still put Arizona back one score. Texas only needed one more out, but Marte put the nail in their coffin. Again. This time with a three-run-homer.

So, now the Rangers are back at an even .500 and chasing that last spot in the wild card race, which they now find themselves four games out of. They continue to struggle to win games even though, one would guess, that with a pitching staff like that the club would be in the thick of it.