Texas Rangers’ Offensive Bright Spot Sets Career High in Mariners Victory

ARLINGTON — Yes, the Texas Rangers are not an effective offensive team right now. But there are bright spots.

There’s Josh Smith, for one.

On Sunday, Smith set a career high for hits in a game with four as he helped the Rangers defeat the Seattle Mariners, 8-1, at Globe Life Field.

The Rangers (17-18) desperately needed the win to salvage something from what became a 2-5 homestand. They also need any spark they can get offensively. Amid the demotion of Jake Burger and the relentless lineup changes the past two weeks, one thing has remained constant — Smith.

“I’m surprised he hasn’t done that before (a four-hit game),” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said afterward. “He uses the whole field. He’s got power. He had good at-bats all day and he’s so important to this ball club.”

Smith had three games with three hits earlier this season. But, on Sunday — with the roof open — he was almost impossible to get out. He went 4-for-5 with three singles and a triple, as he drove in a run and scored twice.

As the Rangers get a day off on Monday and head to Boston to start a six-game road trip, Smith is slashing .311/.386/.478 with three home runs and eight RBI. He’s scored 16 runs and has four stolen bases.

Smith moved into the leadoff spot during the road trip to Sacramento and San Francisco last week. It was one of several moves to try and shake up the batting order. Bochy moved the struggling Marcus Semien — who had batted leadoff since May of 2022 — down in the order.

He hasn’t hit leadoff in every game — Wyatt Langford has taken a turn — but Smith has been the constant and a catalyst. But where he hits doesn’t matter to him — except that maybe he gets a few more first-pitch fastballs to try and hit.

“I don’t really change my approach wherever I’m hitting in the order,” Smith said. “So if it’s leadoff, nine hole, three hole, it just kind of stays the same.”

It’s easy to see Smith remaining at the top of the order, even when Semien’s bat starts to cooperate. He is the prototypical leadoff hitter — quick, makes good contact, can steal bases and has enough pop to make a pitcher respect his ability to go deep.

In fact, Smith was the only Rangers player to homer in the Mariners series, as he slammed one in the ninth inning on Friday.

He’s also the only Rangers player to see time at seven different positions this season. That’s his max, he said on Sunday. He doesn’t want time at pitcher or catcher.

Frankly, he’s too important to the Rangers to risk at either position right now.

“You saw one day he went from center field to shortstop in the same game,” Bochy said. “You can put him anywhere. He’s just a great player to have on this team.”