Texas Rangers Summer Check Up

Texas Rangers

25-37 (5th in AL West)



Eye Popping Number

25.8%

Over one quarter of every Rangers at bad this season has ended in a strikeout, tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the highest percentage in baseball this season. It’s hard to manufacture runs when every fourth batter is striking out. Even in an age where striking out isn’t frowned upon in this three true outcome world we now live in (the three outcomes being, strikeout, walk, or hit a home run), you have to do the other two exceptionally well, and the Rangers are only walking and hitting home runs at a mediocre rate compared to the rest of the league in order to be successful.

Biggest Surprise

Joey Gallo finally has hit so many more singles than home runs this year (4), that he has finally hit as many singles in his career as home runs. Last season he joined an exclusive club of players that hit more dingers than singles. The members of that club? Mark McGwire, twice, and Barry Bonds. For a player that faces the shift as much as he does, as a casual fan you’d think just bunt for a single, but alas, Gallo just wants to mash. Last year he was very effective at it, but this year his extra singles have made him a below average hitter.

Player to Watch

On April 15th, the Rangers were facing their rival Houston Astros in Houston on national TV. Bartolo Colon casually went out and threw 7 perfect innings while picking up the win. Naturally, Colon was trending on Twitter because everyone has become infatuated with Colon over his 19 year career. And how could they not be with someone with the nickname Big Sexy? Even at the ripe age of 45, he is still pitching productively and has been the Rangers’ second most valuable pitcher this season behind ace, Cole Hamels. As his velocity has declined throughout his career, he has been able to spot his pitches, and he has continued to do so this season with only 8 walks all season.

What to Watch for at the Deadline


The Rangers will have arguably the most coveted player available in Cole Hamels, as there aren’t any top tier starting pitchers available this year. After dealing their ace, Yu Darvish at last year’s deadline, the Rangers are still in sell mode and will try to get as many top prospects back as possible. Hamels, and possibly even Colon could fetch a reward. Shin Soo Choo’s resurgence this year was nice, but unless the Rangers eat a large chunk of his 2 years/$42 million remaining on his contract, there won’t be many teams interested in him. Jake Diekman and Alex Caudio could be sent to teams looking for a left handed relief pitcher, which teams always are. An interesting story to follow would be if Adrian Beltre is set on finishing his career in Texas, or if he would be traded to a team like the Boston Red Sox who need a third baseman and could help him get a chance at his first World Series ring.

*All stats as of 6/5 via fangraphs.com and baseball-reference.com

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