Texas Rangers First Half: 3 Up, 3 Down

The Texas Rangers are two games ahead of the Houston Astros in the American League West going into the second half of the 2023 season.

The Rangers are pointed toward their first winning season, and perhaps their first playoff season, since 2016. Here are the three best and worst things about their first half.

3 Up/3 Down

Taking stock of the Rangers going into the second half of the season.<br>

UP: Offense

When the season is done, these 2023 Rangers might be the best offensive team in the franchise’s history. The Rangers lead the Majors in batting average (.274) and runs scored (531), and have done so for most of the season. The Rangers have more 10- and 15-run games than any other team in baseball. It’s the biggest reason the Rangers ended up in first place in the AL West after the first half of the season. The Rangers were tired of losing after last season. The offense got the memo.

UP: Part of Starting Rotation

Nathan Eovaldi (10-3, 2.83) was an All-Star, and for good reason. He’s been the stopper in this rotation all season. When he pitches, the Rangers are likely to win. Jon Gray (6-5, 3.29) has been steady this season and has missed one start due to an injury (a blister issue). Dane Dunning (8-2. 2.84) has been a revelation all season, first in the bullpen and then as a starter in place of Jacob deGrom. These three starters have put the Rangers in a position to be a playoff team.

UP: Defense

It’s not talked about enough, but the Rangers’ defense, as a unit, is one of the best in baseball. As a group, it is ranked No. 3 in outs above average. Several Rangers are among the best in baseball in outs above average, led by second baseman Marcus Semien, who is eight outs above average. Outfielder Adolis Garcia leads all of baseball in outfield assists.

DOWN: Rest of Rotation

Losing deGrom (2-0, 2.67) for the rest of the season and for part of 2024 hurts, not just on the field but for the return on the investment the Rangers are hoping to get on him with his five-year contract. Andrew Heaney (5-6, 4.71) has had his moments, but he’s put together an average season and hasn’t pitched at least six innings in a game since May. Meanwhile, Martin Perez (7-3, 4.81) has an ERA two points higher than a year ago and has given up 16 home runs (he gave up 11 last year). The Rangers skipped his last start to give him some extra rest.

DOWN: Bullpen

There have been bright spots. Will Smith emerged as a stabilizing force as a closer. Josh Sborz had a great stretch after he was recalled from Triple-A. Aroldis Chapman is off to a solid start as a Ranger. But the bullpen has given up too many leads and could eventually be the biggest reason why Texas might struggle to make the postseason. More deals are expected — and not just a flier on Matt Bush.

DOWN: RISP Since June

For the first two months of the season, the Rangers built their success on a historic but unsustainable batting average with runners in scoring position. In June, it trailed off, and eventually caught up with them, as they batted .223 in the final 32 games. The Rangers don’t need to get back to an unsustainable average. Yet, the Rangers’ .299 average this season is the best in baseball. Remaining near the league average for the remainder of the season should keep them in the hunt.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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