Rangers Faced With Make-or-Break Road Trip Before All-Star Break

The Texas Rangers, a team whose effectiveness in the two facets of the game has been so extreme that the end result has been remarkably balanced, are at a breaking point.

With a record of 44-46, four games separate the Rangers from the Seattle Mariners, owners of the third and final wild card spot in the American League standings.

Only the Boston Red Sox stand between them and the Mariners, but three other teams are right on Texas' heels within a game and a half.

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The Rangers have pitched like the best team in baseball, but they've hit like one of the worst. Firing their offensive coordinator did not fix the issue, and it's far past time for the players to turn things around.

Seven games now sit between the Rangers and the All-Star break, and it is almost unbelievable how perfectly this schedule is set up to allow president of baseball operations Chris Young to observe and determine the best course of action at the July 31 trade deadline.

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A road trip that started with last weekend's series against the San Diego Padres rolls into this week and brings challenges against division foes the Rangers are chasing in the standings.

Four games against the Los Angeles Angels get started on Monday night, and the Angels sit just half a game behind Texas entering play.

If the Rangers can find a way to sweep the series or take three, they could put some distance between themselves and at least part of the field in the wild card race.

A series loss would probably force Young directly into selling mode, as it would put them behind a team that frankly has no business being anywhere near the playoff race.

A split would set up a consequential series at Daikin Park against the Houston Astros, who have run away with first place in the AL West.

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Before the season, consensus sentiment had the Astros descending and the Rangers on the upswing, poised to bounce back from the World Series hangover that was 2024.

Instead, it's been more of what's been seen for the vast majority of the past decade, with Houston getting the better end of the Lone Star State rivalry.

If Texas can take two of three or sweep the Astros, it wouldn't put them on the verge of leading the division, but it would be immense in the wild card race when it comes to making up ground and setting a positive vibe that could allow the group to return from the All-Star break with some positive energy.

But with two series losses, a fork can just about be stuck in this team.

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