Preseason Prediction Gone Wrong for Texas Rangers

No one is perfect when it comes to predictions, especially in sports. Educated guesses take in account history, offseason changes and, well, the unknown.

After all, it’s just a guess.

So when the good folks at MLB.com set out to forecast the fortunes of 2023, naturally some were off. The official league website offered up predictions that went wrong for all 30 teams, with the entry for the Texas Rangers dealing titled: “The dynamics of the AL West.”

Coming into the 2023 season, it’s easy to see why nobody expected the Rangers to spend almost every day of the campaign atop the AL West. After all, the reigning World Series champs are right down the interstate in Houston, and two of the best players of this generation reside in Anaheim. Even the Mariners made the postseason in '22.

Despite the perceived competition from inside the division, it’s the Rangers who have dominated the AL West all season. Texas went into Friday sitting in first place at 72-49 and appears poised to end a six-year postseason drought.

And yet, Texas has been alone or tied atop the division for 138 of the season’s first 139 days (the lone exception being April 8) thanks to a high-powered offense led by Corey Seager and a rotation that withstood losing Jacob deGrom to season-ending UCL surgery. The club has not only gotten contributions from its superstars, but guys like Jonah Heim, Ezequiel Duran and Josh Jung have broken out and proven to be everyday players. Now the Rangers have the chance to win the division and make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. It’s well within reach.

The Rangers open a three-game series Friday night against the Milwaukee Brewers at Globe Life Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with Andrew Heaney on the mound for Texas.

You can follow Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92.

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