The chaotic nature of the Texas Rangers’ past week was perfectly encapsulated by the experiences of right fielder Adolis García. On Thursday, his name surfaced in an erroneous trade report just hours before the deadline. By Sunday, a critical baserunning mistake may have cost the team a series split against the Seattle Mariners. These moments bookended a road trip where he also hit two home runs and robbed another, highlighting the team’s volatile mix of brilliance and blunders.
Here are five key takeaways from the last seven days of Rangers baseball.
One week can make a major difference
A week can change everything in baseball. On July 28, the Rangers were a season-high six games over .500, riding a six-game winning streak that pulled them firmly into the postseason picture. However, a subsequent 2-5 West Coast road trip against divisional opponents saw their playoff odds dip from 51.6% to 40.4%, according to FanGraphs.
Despite the difficult week, the team’s standing did not collapse. They trail the first-place Houston Astros by 4.5 games in the division, a marginal increase from four games a week ago. They are now just two games back of the third AL wild-card spot. While the road trip did not improve their playoff chances, it did not derail them either.
Trade deadline thoughts, part 1
The Rangers’ trade deadline activity revealed a clear strategy: they are betting on their league-leading pitching to carry a struggling offense. The front office opted not to acquire a bat, entrusting the team’s fate to a lineup whose .676 OPS ranks third-worst in baseball.
History shows this is a difficult path. Only 27 teams have reached the playoffs with such an offensive output through 113 games. The most recent example in the last half-century is the 2015 New York Mets, who rode a pitching staff with a 3.43 ERA to the World Series, led by a young Jacob deGrom. With a 3.26 ERA that leads the majors, these Rangers are following a similar, high-risk blueprint.
Trade deadline thoughts, part 2
To acquire right-handers Merrill Kelly and Phil Maton and left-hander Danny Coulombe, the Rangers dealt exclusively from their pitching prospect depth—a testament to the organization’s success in scouting and development. The team traded six prospects, all ranked within the club’s top 30 by either Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. Notably, none were first-day draft picks, and only one was selected before the fifth round.
Left-hander Kohl Drake, the main piece in the Kelly deal, was an 11th-round pick in 2022 who developed into a top-10 team prospect. Others, like Garrett Horn (sixth round) and Mason Molina (acquired in a minor trade), were also identified and cultivated into valuable trade chips. This ability to find and develop talent beyond the top draft rounds has been crucial in building a sustainable farm system.
Historic company — in the bad way
Designated hitter Joc Pederson is in the midst of a historically difficult season. Through 53 games, his .126/.256/.217 slash line places him in rare company. Only 20 players in MLB history have posted a batting average of .130 or worse in at least 150 plate appearances.
Pederson is one of just five players to do so since integration in 1947 and one of only two in the last 50 years. The other is catcher Alex Jackson, who hit .122 with the Tampa Bay Rays last season. According to Baseball-Reference, Pederson’s performance has resulted in a -1.0 WAR, underscoring the severity of his offensive struggles.
High-leverage Hoby
The recent series in Seattle highlighted both a challenge and a strength in the Rangers’ bullpen. While closer Robert Garcia suffered two blown saves, manager Bruce Bochy publicly maintained his confidence in the left-hander.
At the same time, left-hander Hoby Milner continued to prove he is the team’s most effective high-leverage reliever. Milner threw 3.2 scoreless innings against the Mariners, including a crucial strikeout of AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh in Sunday’s game. His 2.13 ERA in high-leverage situations ranks 11th among qualified MLB pitchers. This raises a strategic question for the Rangers: whether to promote Milner to the closer role or keep him in his current, highly successful capacity as a versatile weapon for critical moments. For now, the team is sticking with the latter approach.
