Three Takeaways as Texas Rangers Roll to Series Sweep of Tampa Bay Rays

The Texas Rangers head to Chicago after sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays in three games. Here are three takeaways.

Apr 6, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim (28) and his teammates celebrate after he singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers took their third straight series victory to start the season as they wrapped up their set with the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

After winning the first two games of the series, the Rangers (8-2) defeated the Rays (4-5), 4-3, in the finale on Sunday.

It was a walk-off victory for the Rangers, driven by a ninth-inning rally at the bottom of its order, which is the one area of its batting order that has been hitting consistently for the first week-plus of the season.

Here are three takeaways from the series.

The Rangers’ Timely Hitting

Let’s be honest — the Rangers are not where they want to be offensively after 10 games. There is too much talent for the offense to remain dormant all season. But against the Rays the Rangers managed to sweep the series with timely hitting.

“That’s the key to this game, honestly,” Rangers third baseman Josh Smith said. “It’s getting big hits in big situations when runners are in scoring position.”

Smith was part of that timely hitting on Sunday. He turned what probably should have bene a two-out single into a double, setting up catcher Jonah Heim for his fifth career walk-off hit in a tie game in the ninth inning.

Heim is Him. #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/pJYrweLozW

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 6, 2025

That timely hitting wasn’t isolated to Sunday. On Friday it was a four-run third inning with no slug at all. The Rangers small-balled it. Five straight hits — four singles and a double — with two stolen bases by Leody Taveras.

On Saturday it was all about the slug. Three of Texas’ four hits were home runs, including Jake Burger’s three-run shot in the first inning. Wyatt Langford broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh with a home run. But Kevin Pillar set Langford up with a single, a stolen base and advancing to third on a throwing error.

Just imagine when this offense finally gets going?

Bullpen Brings it Again

This retooled Rangers bullpen continues to get things done. While Marc Church did give up the lead in the eighth inning, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy did like that the rookie found a way to keep Tampa Bay from taking the lead.

Then Jacob Webb kept it tied in the ninth to set up Smith and Heim.

On Saturday, the group shoved 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball. For the season Rangers relievers have posted holds and saves in every win in which they’ve appeared. The group continues to lead the Majors in saves and holds.

All of this is to say that right now this bullpen can be trusted with a lead. And, when all eight of the Rangers’ wins have been decided by three runs or fewer, that trust goes a long way.

Rotation Getting it Done

When Jacob deGrom has the “worst” game of three starting pitchers in a three-game series, and that game wasn’t even that bad, then things are going well.

deGrom gave up four runs in his start on Saturday, along with eight hits. He struck out three and didn’t give up a walk. That’s the result of some mechanical issues he’s still working through. He said it’s about keeping his body a bit more closed as he delivers the ball. But this is a two-time Cy Young winner, so you figure he’ll work through it.

Both Tyler Mahle, who started on Friday, and Kumar Rocker, who started on Sunday, needed to bounce back and both did it. Mahle threw five innings of one-hit, shutout baseball while walking two and striking out five. Rocker also went five innings, giving up six hits and one run. He struck out one and walked none.

“I see two horses that lead in (Nathan) Eovaldi and deGrom,” Rocker said on Sunday. “They lead us, and we try to be like them.”

Yes, you want your starters to go a bit longer. But Bochy is going to look at the cumulative walk total — two in 15 combined innings by his starters — and walk away happy.