Goal for Texas Rangers Healthy Lineup: 'Win it All'

ARLINGTON, Texas – To say the Texas Rangers are healthy is a stretch, especially with two Hall-of-Fame quality pitchers being out for the season.

But when it comes to position players, this is as good as it’s been in a while.

The Rangers have started the same group of nine hitters for the last four games, coincidentally all wins. Included in that group is five All-Stars – shortstop Corey Seager, second baseman Marcus Semien, right fielder Adolis García, third baseman Josh Jung and catcher Jonah Heim. Throw in first baseman Nathan Lowe, center fielder Leody Taveras, designated hitter Mitch Garver and rookie left fielder Evan Carter.

It’s a lineup card that Bruce Bochy is more than comfortable with. And one he’s been waiting for as multiple players have missed significant time this season. (The Rangers are still without Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, though the latter hopes to return in the playoffs.)

“When you have your whole team out there, which we haven’t had a lot all year with the injuries with the injuries that we’ve dealt with,” Bochy said. “You’ve seen what this team is capable of. We faced some good pitching, put runs on the board, good at-bats. I don’t know who to point out.”

There were plenty of big performances in Sunday’s 9-8 win over the Seattle Mariners to complete a three-game sweep. The Rangers clubbed a season-high six home runs, with two coming from Marcus Semien, and opened up even more breathing room in the American League West.

Texas (87-68) now leads the division by 2.5 games over the Houston Astros. The magic number to clinch the West is down to five with seven games to play, starting with a three-game series at the Los Angeles Angels opening Monday night.

But just getting to the postseason for the first time in seven years isn’t the mission. The Rangers have much steeper aspirations.

“The goal is not to get to the playoffs,” Semien said. “It’s to win it all.”

Texas’ overall five-game winning streak has reversed their fortunes in less than a week. The sense of doing something really special – the franchise has yet to win a World Series – is in the air.

“It’s that time of year,” Bochy said. “These guys understand the situation, so they’re excited to be out there. You can feel it even before the game. … This is what you play for. This is what you live for. The guys are really doing a nice job of going out there and finding a way.”

You can follow Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92.

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