Large cast keying Texas Rangers’ surge
By Tim Haberin
The Houston Astros seemed like they were going to coast to their first division title in fourteen years. If anyone was going to cause them trouble down the stretch, surely it would be the Los Angeles Angels. But the Texas Rangers have thrown a very unexpected wrench into the narrative.
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On August 1 the Rangers were eight games behind in the AL West. After winning the first three games of a four-game set with their Lone Star State rivals, they now find themselves leading the pack by a game and a half.
It’s easy to see a big-name star like Prince Fielder leading the way. The slugger has been an absolute force during the current series, going 8-for-13 with three home runs and eight RBI through the first three contests. The Rangers are used to seeing that kind of production from Prince this year. He is slashing .314/.383/.477 with 21 homers and 83 RBI, and he will likely garner his share of votes for the MVP award.
Adrian Beltre has also been up to his usual tricks at the plate recently. After a somewhat underwhelming first two months, the veteran third baseman went on the disabled list for almost a month with a strained thumb ligament. Since returning on June 23, he is batting .281 with nine home runs and 40 RBI.
However, some less-familiar faces are making their presences known in big ways. 21-year-old second baseman Rougned Odor entered the season with high expectations but was demoted to Triple-A in early May after hitting a paltry .144 through 29 games. Since being called back up on June 15, he has looked like a completely different player.
In his last 74 games, Odor is slashing .320/.362/.566 with 13 homers and 46 RBI. His .919 OPS since the All-Star break leads all MLB second basemen (min. 100 PA). Texas hoped to see good things from Odor this year, but even they couldn’t have anticipated such a staggering turnaround.
Outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. has been one of the better rookies in the American League. He is batting .255/.341/.369 and has used his speed to pick up nine triples (third in MLB) and 23 stolen bases.
Bounce-back campaigns from some veteran players have also helped the lineup. After an injury-shortened 2014, first baseman Mitch Moreland has contributed 20 homers and 75 RBI. Shin-Soo Choo was a big disappointment last year, his first with the Rangers after signing a seven-year contract as a free agent. He has added 18 home runs and 67 RBI of his own while seeing a .089 bump in OPS over last season.
Texas Rangers
On the pitching side of things, the Rangers made waves prior to the trade deadline by dealing for Cole Hamels. He’s been more “okay” than “ace” so far, pitching to a 4.04 ERA over eight starts (55.2 IP) in a Texas uniform. The Rangers rotation at large has been somewhat erratic. Yovani Gallardo sports a 3.35 ERA on the year but has been significantly less effective since the All-Star break (4.82 ERA). Colby Lewis owns a 4.45 ERA but has collected 15 wins on the strength of 5.53 runs of support per game.
Fortunately, the team recently added Derek Holland back into the mix. He’s been understandably inconsistent over his seven starts thus far, but he did flash brilliance in consecutive outings on August 30 and September 5, allowing only six hits, two walks and one run over seventeen innings against the Orioles and Angels. If he and Hamels can round into form, the Texas rotation will suddenly look a lot more postseason-ready.
An improved bullpen has also played a vital role recently, protecting late leads in important games. Eleven of the Rangers’ last fifteen victories have been decided by three runs or fewer. Closer Shawn Tolleson has converted 32 of 34 save opportunities with a 2.71 ERA and a 9.6 K/9 rate. Sam Dyson was acquired at the deadline from the Marlins and has proven to be a reliable setup option. In 21.2 innings of work with the Rangers, Dyson has put up a 1.66 ERA.
The Texas Rangers have quickly morphed into one of the hottest squads in the game, and a wide variety of players throughout the roster are contributing to the effort. If they can ride this momentum into a playoff berth, they could be one of the more dangerous propositions for potential opponents.