Astros Close Power Rankings Gap on Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers and Houston Astros are both in the top four in the latest ESPN MLB Power Rankings.

© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

As the Texas Rangers limp towards the All-Star break, the race in the American League West is heating up.

And the team in the rearview mirror is turning heads.

The Rangers and Houston Astros are both ranked in the top four in the latest MLB Power Rankings from ESPN’s panel of baseball experts. Texas checks in at No. 3 again, but the Astros made a huge jump of four spots to No. 4.

Per ESPN:

Texas finally hit a speed bump as it lost three of four to the second-place Astros while taking a few hits on the mound. Rangers pitchers produced a 5.50 ERA for the week as Martin Perez couldn't get out of the second inning on Monday. He hasn't been the same pitcher as last season, though others have made up for it, including All-Star Nathan Eovaldi. He leads the league in innings pitched after tossing yet another gem over the weekend. He shut out the Astros over seven innings while giving up just two hits. He has been as good as any free agent signing from last winter.

Houston made a definite impression on the panel over the long weekend in Arlington. The defending champions are just two games behind the Rangers in the division.

Per ESPN:

The Astros are coming off perhaps their biggest week of the season. After falling to just five games over .500 in June and falling 6½ games behind Texas in the American League West, Houston entered a four-game set at Globe Life Field in a precarious spot. But after the champs took three of four, capped by an exhilarating seesaw 12-11 decision July 3, the division remains very much up for grabs.

Both the Rangers and Astros have three games left before MLB shifts its focus to the Midsummer Classic. The two Lone Star State rivals meet in Houston for three games July 24-26.

The Rangers have lost six of their last eight games after Thursday’s 10-6 loss at the Boston Red Sox.

As for the power rankings for rest of the AL West: Los Angeles Angels (16), Seattle Mariners (18) and Oakland Athletics (30).

More From SI’s Inside The Rangers:

1. Texas Rangers New Nike City Connect Jersey Pay Homage to Dallas-Fort Worth
2. No Pride in Texas, Rangers Lone Team Without Pride Night
3. Watch: Eva Longoria Wins Over Texas Rangers Fans With First Pitch
4. Texas Rangers in Play to Sing Shohei Ohtani
5. Arlington Mayor Says Rougned Odor ‘Punch’ Mural to Stay
6. Texas Rangers Clespnubhouse ‘Insane’ Says Reliever
7. MLB, Texas Rangers Win Bally Sports Broadcast Suit
8. AL West is ‘Ours,’ Not Astros Says Texas Rangers First Baseman
9. Former Texas Rangers Favorite Derek Holland Comeback Ends
10. Bally Sports Southwest to Televise Nearly All Rangers Games

---

You can follow Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92.

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.