Biggest Thing Separating the Rangers from MLB Remaining Contenders

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Biggest Thing Separating the Rangers from MLB Remaining Contenders

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Oct 14, 2026 9:00 AM ET

Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young should have a plan for next season by the end of the World Series.

For now, all he and his staff can do can watch as the Los Angeles Dodgers square off with the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series, while the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians face off in the ALCS. The winners advance to the World Series.

Since Texas won their first world championship in 2023 the Rangers haven’t sniffed the postseason, though they came within a game of winning the AL West Division this season. Young is frustrated. So is the fan base. So what do these playoff teams have that the Rangers don’t have?

What’s the Separator?

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We could pick many things off the list but one significant piece of the puzzle the Rangers don’t have that at least three of the contenders do is more productive offense.

The Rangers finished the season with a slash of .242/.317/.396, with the batting average ranked No. 19 in baseball. It was an improvement over 2025, but it was a chasm when compared to the top three hitting teams in baseball, all of whom reached the LCS:

Milwaukee Brewers: .258/.341/.403

Tampa Bay Rays: .258/.326/.402

Los Angeles Dodgers: .257/.338/.424

Only the Cleveland Guardians were hitting on the Rangers’ level this season — .239/.316/.380. But the Guardians found a way.

The Rangers’ offense has been an issue since they won their World Series in 2023. The overall team slash dropped from 2023 to 2024 and then again from 2024 to 2025 to what one could consider rock bottom. In 2025, Texas slashed .234/.302/.381 with a batting average that was No. 26 in baseball. That was a huge drop from 2023 when the Rangers slashed .263/.337/.452, which was third best in baseball.

So, there was improvement. The Rangers emphasized getting on base more in 2026 and their on-base percentage went up by 15 points from a year ago. Even with slugging less emphasized, the Rangers improved their slugging percentage by 15 points.

But it’s clear how the slash lines for the Brewers, the Rays and the Dodgers affected winning. Milwaukee finished second in baseball with 832 runs scored. The Dodgers were fourth with 801 runs scored. They were two of the four teams in baseball that scored 800 or more runs. The Rays were No. 12 with 736 runs.

The Guardians finished the regular season with 678 runs, which was No. 24 in baseball. Right behind them? The Rangers. They finished No. 25 overall with 673 runs.

Two of the four remaining playoff teams scored more than 100 runs more than Texas did this season. If the Rangers are going to start looking at what needs to change to contend in 2027, then start with run production— which starts with improving at the plate.

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

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