Aug 16, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (15) talks with the media in the dugout during batting practice before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Can the Rangers Climb Back Into Wild Card Race?

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Maddy Dickens | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 2:58 PM ET

The Texas Rangers are not making it easy on their fans. Less than three weeks ago they were in total control of their own destiny as they chased a wild card spot for the American League. With a massive plummet off a cliff recently it appears that the team is going to need some other teams to have ruts of their own if they want to come through as the underdogs.

In August, the Rangers had a nice cushion over .500 and had just taken down the New York Yankees, who, at the time, held the bottom spot in the postseason. But things took a turn for the worse quickly.

After their series with the Yankees, the club found itself only half a game back from New York. Since that point, they dropped four series in a row and went 3-10 overall. However, the club looks to have a bit of a wake-up call.

Texas won the same number of games in their last series with the Cleveland Guardians as they have since their series with New York 19 days ago. The Rangers swept the Guardians with a pair of shutouts, where they outscored Cleveland 19-3.

The best pitching staff in baseball continues proving their dominance

Nathan Eovaldi, Jack Leiter, and Merrill Kelly combined for a 0.43 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, and a 11.57 K/9 against Cleveland this weeknd pic.twitter.com/LasO7VJPJy
— Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@rangers__nation) August 24, 2025

The Downfall of Others is Positive Value for the Rangers

Texas had clawed their way back into the wild card race. It had finally looked like they turned a corner, until they hadn't. Now, there is a ton of season left and the team does not necessarily need teams, like the Seattle Mariners or the Yankees, to take a nosedive, but it would definitely help.

Right now the bottom spot into the playoffs for the American League is a division rival- the Mariners. At 66-66 they Rangers find themselves 4.5 games back from Seattle, who are 3-7 in their last 10, and preparing to battle with one of the better teams in the National League.

While the Mariners take on the 74-win San Diego Padres, the Rangers will be finishing the month of August with two teams well under .500: the Los Angeles Angels and the Athletics. Seattle has a much tougher stretch with the Padres and the Cleveland Guardians.

The Mariners are now the ones with a target on their backs as they find themselves closest to the Rangers, but Texas's real problem, especially as of late, has been themselves. The team needs to close out this month as strong as they can and see where the cards fall heading into September.

This article first appeared on Texas Rangers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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