Texas Rangers Want to 'Forget' Reds Series with Yankees Next

The Texas Rangers entered a stretch nine games ago consisting of three consecutive last-place teams. On paper, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to put a little space between the Rangers and the rest of the American League West.

That paper wasn’t exactly ripped to shreds, but the past three games with the Cincinnati Reds were trash worthy.

The Rangers were swept by a club that was on a six-game losing streak going into Monday’s opener. Losses happen in baseball, especially in baseball, to cellar dwellers all the time. But the way the Rangers lost and lost and lost was a punch to gut.

“It was a tough series,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “No getting around it and one you really want to forget. We got nicked up. So this one that we’ve got to head home and reset right now and get back to our game.”

The bullpen faltered in all three games. Texas squandered leads of 5-1 and 6-0 in the first two games, only to drop both 7-6. The Reds claimed the finale Wednesday on a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, their second walk-off win of the series.

The Rangers have lost a season-high three in a row and were swept for the first time.

Texas (14-10) leads the AL West by a 1/2 game over the surging Houston Astros (14-11) and heads into the New York Yankees series starting Thursday night at Globe Life Field with definite regrets.

The Rangers were 5-1 after series against the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals, teams sitting last in their respective divisions. So were the Reds. But instead of going perhaps 7-2 or 6-3 in this stretch, Texas returned to Arlington a somewhat disappointing 5-4.

“There’s nothing to be concerned about,” Bochy said. “I mean, there’s a lot of baseball left and these guys will bounce back. We have a tough team ahead of us, so we’ve got to play our best ball. But, no, I’m not one who gets concerned and we’re going to continue to get better.”

Four games against the Yankees offer a chance to right the ship and regain any mojo gone missing in Cincinnati. It’s also redemption time for the bullpen, which had been a strength in the early season before its miserable collapse.

The opportunity is there this weekend. Just like it was in Ohio.

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