Thursday newsletter time: A loss, yes, but perhaps some help moving forward
(AP photo/Julio Cortez)
ARLINGTON — In the immortal words of Chip Diller, “Remain calm. All is well.”
The Rangers have a 2-1 lead in the American League Championship Series and two more games at Globe Life Field to clinch the best-of-7 series and advance to the World Series.
Game 4 is scheduled for 7:03 tonight.
Max Scherzer wasn’t completely repulsed by his performance in Game 3, when he allowed five runs in four innings in his first start since Sept. 12. He made some mistakes, the by-product of not pitching in more than a month, and the Rangers’ bullpen couldn’t hold the Astros at five runs.
The 8-5 loss, a bummer for the 42,368 fans, wasn’t without some positives that could play a factor tonight or later in the series.
Take, for instance, that the Rangers didn’t get blown out. They kept the score within four runs, which forced Astros manager Dusty Baker to use his best relief arms. Houston is in the same boat as the Rangers in that they have been leaning heavily on their big guns at the back of the bullpen — Hector Neres, Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly. Each outing takes a toll.
Meanwhile, the Rangers’ big arms did not pitch. Josh Sborz and Jose Leclerc warmed briefly, but not pitching in a game is like a day off.
Nathaniel Lowe collected two hits, perhaps a sign that he is starting to find his rhythm at the plate. He drove in a run in Game 2 with a first-inning single.
The Rangers continued to play good defense, with center fielder Leody Taveras making the play of the MLB postseason with a leaping catch to rob Yordan Alvarez of a home run. Shortstop Corey Seager later made a splendid play in the hole in the eighth and also took a throw from Adolis Garcia and fired home to get Alvarez in the ninth.
Scherzer said that he had something still in the tank when the Rangers pulled him and feels completely healthy. He would pitch again in a potential Game 7, knocked off the rust in Game 3 and likely can now pitch deeper than four innings.
Kinsler’s brings heat
Rangers Hall of Famer Ian Kinsler threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3, firing a strike to former Rangers left-hander Derek Holland. Kinsler also threw a strike with the jersey he wore.
(AP photo/Julio Cortez)
While Holland wore his old Rangers No. 45, Kinsler wore the No. 3 Team Israel jersey he wore while managing the club earlier this year in the World Baseball Classic.
Israel was ruthlessly attacked Oct. 7 by the terror group Hamas, with the death toll surpassing 1,400.
Since the attacks, which included the murder of babies, Israel has launched a counter offensive in Gaza while also fighting against anti-Semitism across the world, including in the United States.
Israel was also falsely accused of bombing a hospital in Gaza, with evidence showing a rocket fired by the Palestine Islamic Jihad landing in a parking lot next to the hospital. U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Talib (D-Mich.) repeated the claim in an anti-Israel rally outside the U.S. Capitol, which led to a group pf protestors storming the Capitol rotunda.
Good for Kinsler for using his platform to show support for Israel.
We love you, Skip.
Thank you for representing Israel tonight. https://t.co/g0qBcGZ5Ah
— Israel Baseball 🇮🇱 (@ILBaseball) October 19, 2023
Wendy Lowe update
Just hours after Lowe was named a Gold Glove finalist for the first time in his career, Fox Sports aired an update on his mom, Wendy, as she battles brain cancer.
Nathaniel’s little brother, Rays outfielder Josh Lowe, shared Wendy’s diagnosis just before the brothers squared off in the wild-card round. It’s been a tough go the past four months for the family, who now realizes there’s much more to life than a baseball game.
Watch the story. It’s worth your time.
Nathaniel Lowe's mother, Wendy Lowe, is currently undergoing treatment for brain cancer.
Everybody from the FOX baseball family is joining and cheering Wendy Lowe on in her fight with cancer. Tom Rinaldi has more on Wendy's fight. pic.twitter.com/TaTUozjlXg
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 18, 2023
ICYMI …
I suppose if you were going to miss any game of the Rangers’ playoff run so far, that was the one. They did some things good, as Scherzer said, but the not enough. Rangers Today (subscribe here) likes to think its been doing some good. Find out with our latest content, in case you missed it.
Game 3 recap: Rangers lose first of postseason
Game 2: Just win, baby
Game 1: The kid and the blunder
Get official Rangers playoff gear from Fanatics
Evan Carter t-shirt from In the Clutch (use RANGERSTODAY for discount)
Doggy video!
And get off of my lawn! Enjoy.
Just leave me alone.. 😂 pic.twitter.com/IUogmVPdap
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) October 18, 2023
Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com
“Baseball is Life”
No, actually life is life. While I have a passion for baseball, I value and cherish so much more.
Wendy Lowe and Ian Kinsler embody those things which we should never take for granted, Life, Love, Peace.
I wasn’t the biggest Kinsler fan when he was on the team. At all. I called him Johnny Pop Up and rode him pretty hard on the pickoffs/caught stealings. But I have the utmost respect for him “saying as much” as he did last night without every saying a word. Big hat tip to him.