ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers are still atop the American League West division with a record of 20-13. They’ve won six of their last ten and just beat the Angels two out of three to stay ahead of them by two games in the standings.
Their run differential is at +85, the second-best mark in baseball behind the Tampa Bay Rays, who are at +115. And the Rangers are doing this without shortstop Corey Seager and catcher Mitch Garver, who have been out of the lineup since April 12 and April 10, respectively. Seager injured his hamstring rounding the bases in a game against Kansas City, and Garver sprained his knee two days prior.
How are they doing this? Brice Paterik discussed the Rangers’ surging offense on the latest Locked On Rangers podcast episode.
Paterik said, “The Rangers have eight regulars with an OPS+ above 115.” The Rangers are playing well and, scarily enough, could get even better once Seager and Garver return.
This weekend also helped skew the numbers. In the two games they won against the Angels in Anaheim, the Rangers outscored them 26-9. They won 10-1 on Saturday and 16-8 on Sunday. The Rangers have scored ten runs or more nine times this season, with their highest output of 18 coming against the Oakland A’s on April 22. They’re the third team in Major League Baseball history to do that. The most recent team was the 1997 Colorado Rockies.
It also helps when guys like Adolis Garcia, Leody Taveras, and Ezequiel Duran are stepping up and hitting consistently. Taveras was 4-5 with a double and four runs batted in on Sunday against the Angels, while Duran has put up a .318/.348/.506 batting line in 26 games this season with four home runs and 16 runs batted in.
So, who needs Corey Seager when you have Duran? The Rangers do. While Duran is doing an exceptional job of filling in, Seager was playing out of his mind before his injury, and yes, it’s a small sample size of 11 games, but a .359/.469/.539 batting line with four doubles and a home run, and seven runs scored is pretty good.
Manager Bruce Bochy said on Sunday that Seager would “probably” be sent out on a rehab assignment this week. It’s possible he will return to the big club in time for their return home on May 15 to face the Atlanta Braves. As for Garver, the Rangers are eyeing May 23 for his return to the lineup.
Until then, the Rangers will face Seattle for three and Oakland for four before returning home to face the Braves. Seattle could be a test for the Rangers—it’s the first time the two teams play against each other in 2023. The Rangers won two out of three against Oakland the last time they faced them and outscored them 23-5 in those two victories.
The Rangers are doing well and are looking to play even better, and with the returns of Corey Seager and Mitch Garver in the coming weeks, this already historically good offense can get even better.
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