A look at the Texas Rangers at the halfway point of the season
(AP photo/John Minchillo)
ARLINGTON — Fifty is nice, round number, and a win Thursday would have given the Rangers 50 wins in their first half of the season.
Those 49 wins, the second-most in the American League, will have to do.
The loss to Detroit in no way diminished what the Rangers have accomplished through 81 games. The Rangers are in first place in the AL West, as they have been for 54 straight games, and they have led by at least five games the past 11 days.
The Rangers have done so by scoring the most runs in baseball and with a starting rotation that has been steady throughout. They have received contributions from the usual suspects and from unexpected sources.
Baseball fans have started to take notice, at least judging by voting for the All-Star Game. The Rangers saw four starters elected — catcher Jonah Heim, second baseman Marcus Semien, third baseman Josh Jung and shortstop Corey Seager.
The one finalist who didn’t make it, Adolis Garcia, leads baseball in RBIs (66).
The Rangers’ job, though, is only half-done at 49-32.
“We want to continue building momentum going into the end of the year,” Semien said. “You show up ready to win and you win ballgames. What is the process? Work hard, play clean baseball, pitch the ball wall, play good defense, get timely hits, hit for power. Those are things we have been doing.”
He’s right.
The Rangers are a playoff contender, and they have room to improve and the means to do it.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights from the first half:
Did I miss something with Brock Burke? He’s only been used 3x in the last 2 weeks.
I think we’re all missing something with Brock Burke. Doesn’t make much sense to me. We’ve asked, but need to keep asking.
I wouldn’t second guess Bochy, none the less, it seems he gets his relievers into a lefty-righty, longball, ground ball specialist box and won’t deviate from it. Burke seems to have fallen into one of those holes.
It seems strange for a pitcher who in the offseason was a candidate to close games. Burke is more of a flyball pitcher, so that can be a factor, but he’s definitely not pitching enough.