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Inside The Rangers

Rangers Feature Wyatt Langford To Dismantle Astros Before All-Star Break

The Rangers reinstated Langford, and they are looking to create some space at the top of the AL West
Maddy Dickens|
Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford (36) hits a three-run home run against the San Diego Padres
Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford (36) hits a three-run home run against the San Diego Padres | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Texas Rangers

It has been a revolving door in the AL West regarding the division leaders, as no team can seemingly put distance between itself and the rest of the field, because winning ballclubs have not existed for very long.

However, the Texas Rangers have a chance to flip the script going into the All-Star break as they are currently the lone team above .500 going into an in-state clash with the Houston Astros, also in the AL West.

While the top of the starting rotation isn't due up, as Nathan Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom, and MacKenzie Gore all threw against the Los Angeles Angels, luckily, the Rangers welcomed back Wyatt Langford's bat into the lineup as he was activated from the injured list on Thursday.

Langford's return to the game wasn't ideal initially as he struck out three times in his first four at-bats Thursday. However, he was perfect in the clutch as the Rangers were tied in the bottom of the 9th and Langford hit a walk-off single.

Texas' offense will be matching up with Hunter Brown, and he is pitching on full cylinders with a couple of games under his belt since coming off the injured list. So, it is prudent that Langford is back with the team.

Friday Night Starters at Globe Life

Jung and Burger high five in white rangers jersey
Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) slaps the hand of first baseman Jake Burger (21) after scoring against the Detroit Tigers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Rangers will be putting Cal Quantrill on the hill to kick this one off and battle with Brown, and no matter his role, he has done well this season. Quantrill had primarily been used as a bulk reliever, but he has started his last two games and done well.

Quantrill pitched a combined nine innings while allowing a combined two earned runs. Now, the Astros offense is a powerhouse, so keeping them in check from the get-go is increasingly important, and the Rangers need to get after Brown immediately.

  1. DH Joc Pederson
  2. LF Wyatt Langford
  3. 3B Josh Jung
  4. RF Brandon Nimmo
  5. 1B Jake Burger
  6. SS Esequiel Duran
  7. CF Evan Carter
  8. 2B Nicky Lopez
  9. C Kyle Higashioka

Brown has not looked like anything near the same from his Cy Young campaign a measly year ago, as he has allowed 23 hits in the six starts he has made this season, which doesn't complement 17 walks very nicely.

Right now, the starting rotation for the Astros is very vulnerable. Be aggressive early and make the bullpen work hard. That will win the Rangers a series and put some cushion between them and No.2 in the AL West.

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Maddy Dickens
MADDY DICKENS

Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.

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