The Good, Not So Good from Rangers-D-backs Series: Bruce Bochy Calls Out Offense

The Texas Rangers’ hopes of reaching the American League playoffs may be, legitimately, done after losing two out of three games to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a series that wrapped up on Wednesday at Globe Life Field.

The Rangers (61-61) lost the final two games on go-ahead, ninth-inning home runs by the same Diamondbacks star — Ketel Marte. By the end of the series, Texas had slipped 7.5 games out of the lead in the American League West and 4.0 games out of the final AL Wild Card berth, currently held by the New York Yankees.

It feels like the season is finally slipping away from the Rangers. With Texas heading to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays, here are some of the good and not-so-good things that came out of the D-backs series.

THE GOOD

1. Bruce Bochy Calls Out the Offense

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy is going to protect his players publicly. It’s a tenet of who he is as a manager. He’s been that way his entire career. He is an old-school manager and he will take his players to task when needed. But it’s usually behind closed doors. He was asked indirectly during the Philadelphia series if he was a “toss the post-game buffet” kind of guy. He chuckled said he preferred a more one-on-one approach.

So, Bochy tends not to be too critical of his players publicly, whether one agrees with that approach or not. That’s what made his comments on Tuesday, after the Rangers managed just four hits in a loss to Arizona, so incredible for those that have covered his three years in Texas. It was as close to being publicly critical as he’ll be and it revealed a level of frustration with the batting order that has been bubbling beneath the surface but hasn’t been shared with that much directness.

“We’ve got to swing the bats," Bochy said in postgame. "I mean, come on. That was one of our worst games. We were bad tonight.”

So why is that good? Because it may be the only thing left in Bochy’s toolbox to get this team moving in the right direction — and the comment represents that he probably knows it. It may not work, but sometimes the manager taking the team to the woodshed — even if it is rather gently so — can do wonders.

2. Momentary Glory

Biggest comeback of the year. #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/MGBlwdwjmp
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) August 12, 2025

For the second straight Monday night, the Rangers played the part of the comeback kid. Last week against the New York Yankees, Joc Pederson hit a pinch-hit home run to tie the game in the ninth inning, followed by a walk-off three-run home run by Josh Jung in the 10th inning.

The encore was eerily similar. This time, Rowdy Tellez came into the game in the ninth inning to pinch-hit with the Rangers down by a run and he slammed a home run to the contest. Then, in the 10th, well it wasn’t a home run. But an RBI single by Jake Burger down the left field line would have to do.

The celebration was cathartic. It ended a four-game losing streak and hinted at a Rangers offense that might be coming back around. Well, of course, if one watched the next two games, that wasn’t the case.

3. Leiter’s Progress

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter throws in a gray uniform with Texas on front and a blue hat — Aug 1, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter (35) throws against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. | John Froschauer-Imagn Images

The Rangers hope Jack Leiter is a long-term member of the rotation. That made games like Tuesday encouraging. He’s taking smaller steps than the Rangers would probably like, but he’s taking them.

On Tuesday, he limited the walks that have been his biggest issue professionally. He only issued two free passes after giving up four walks last week against the New York Yankees.

He only pitched five innings, but in his previous two starts he failed to even get to the fifth inning. Against the Yankees he only pitched 3.1 innings due to the walks. In the start before that he went 4.1 innings.

Leiter gave up just one hit, admittedly a big one a third-inning home run by Arizona’s Blaze Alexander. But, still, just one hit. It was an encouraging outing. Now, Leiter needs to start throwing into the sixth inning — or longer, which means more efficient innings and more strikes.

THE NOT SO GOOD

1. Robert Garcia’s … Whatever That Was

Huh.

I, uh, huh. pic.twitter.com/ikTf9Gy9XA
— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) August 13, 2025

Baseball coaches, for years, have preached that there are times to give up on a play. That time is usually when a fielder has booted the ball far enough away from him that there is just no way to make the play.

Rangers reliever Robert Garcia made a play on Tuesday, or at least attempted to make a play, that defied that logic to a degree that defies comprehension.

Meanwhile he gave up a game-tying run during his inning of work and blew a save for the sixth time this season. The blown save stat is stacking up, per Rangers Sports Network’s Dave Raymond and exposes the fact that the Rangers never stepped up to get a true closer in the offseason or at the trade deadline.

2. The New Bullpen Tools Falter

Ketel Marte's 4th hit of the game is a GO-AHEAD HOMER in the 9th! pic.twitter.com/CTKCGlxRU1
— MLB (@MLB) August 13, 2025

Danny Coulombe and Phil Maton have been a breath of fresh air for the bullpen since they were acquired at the trade deadline. And then this series happened. Each gave up go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning in back-to-back games.

Coulombe was first. On Tuesday, he wasn’t crafty enough to get an 80 mph sweeper by Arizona’s Ketel Marte, who slammed it for a home run. It was the first home run Coulombe had allowed all season.

Then, on Wednesday, it was Maton, who surrendered a three-run, ninth-inning go-ahead home run to … Marte. Man, this guy is just a Rangers killer.

Both relievers have generally been great since they arrived. They’ll have a game like that. The timing is just awful.

3. Nathan Eovaldi’s Awful Outing

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi walks off the field wearing a white jersey and blue hat — Aug 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) walks off the field after he pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning at Globe Life Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Rangers fans are still trying to make sense of this one. The American League July pitcher of the month led off the series by laying an egg. He gave up eight hits, struck out three and walked one in five innings while giving up multiple home runs for the first time in a year. The last time he did was against … Arizona. Man, what is it about Arizona?

How out of character was this for Evo? The eight hits allowed was a season high. The five earned runs allowed was a season high. He hadn’t allowed multiple earned runs in a game since late June. His three strikeouts were his lowest since he had two in that late June start. He experienced a rarity for Rangers starting pitching this season — a bad outing followed by the offense bailing him out.