Rangers’ Bases-Loaded Problems Are Perplexing for Two Reasons

The Texas Rangers have a problem bringing home runners with the bases loaded. There are two reasons why it’s important.

Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers left the bases loaded again on Saturday against the Boston Red Sox. It’s not an anomaly. It’s a trend.

The Rangers fell, 6-3, in a game where Texas had its chances to generate offense and failed. It’s been a problem for Texas all season, though their recent run of winning nine of 12 games helped mask it to some degree.

The offense’s inability to cash in consistently with the bases loaded is something that puts the unit among the worst in baseball. Yet, the Rangers remain in the AL West race and in the AL Wild Card race. How can those two things co-exist. Here are two reasons why the stat is so perplexing.

Two Reasons Why Rangers’ Bases Loaded Issues are Perplexing

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The first reason is the Rangers are leaving significant offensive opportunities on the basepaths, and for a team that is two-games under .500 that’s an issue. The Rangers’ batting average is fourth-worst in baseball with the bases loaded, with a slash of .208/.197/.245. Texas hitters don’t have a home run in those situations, one of six teams that don’t.

The Rangers only have two extra-base hits in 53 at-bats, both of which are doubles. Their 34 RBI are second-worst in baseball, ahead of only the Detroit Tigers. Texas is also tied for the fewest walks (two) with the bases loaded.

It’s objectively bad. But the Rangers are among the Top 10 teams in baseball with runners in scoring position. Texas is eighth in batting average with a slash of .259/.344/.394 with 15 home runs and 186 RBI. The home runs and the RBI are in the bottom half of baseball. But when the bases get loaded, the issues inflate.

The second reason is that, at least for now, success with the bases loaded isn’t necessarily a recipe for overall success. The Milwaukee Brewers have the best slash in baseball with the bases loaded at .395/.429/.500. While the Brewers haven’t hit a home run, they’ve driven in 75 runners in that situation. Milwaukee leads the NL Central.

The team with the third-best slash is the San Francisco Giants at .340/.355/.736 with seven home runs and 57 RBI. They’re in fourth place in the NL West. The Los Angeles Angels are one of three teams with 70 or more RBI in those situations, and they’re last in the AL West.

In addition, one of the few teams chasing the Rangers in bases-loaded batting average is the team they’re chasing in the AL West, the Seattle Mariners. Seattle is slashing .196/.274/.391 with three home runs and 41 RBI.

So, does it matter that the Rangers are failing at the plate with the bases loaded? Yes. Will it end their chances of making the playoffs? That’s to be determined.