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Aug 13, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (15) walks to the mound to make pitching change during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field. Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Rangers Head Into Series Against Surging Athletics Down Multiple Key Players

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Maddy Dickens | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 9:00 AM ET

To say the Texas Rangers have had it rough the last few days would be the understatement of the year. Their roster lost Marcus Semien, Nathan Eovaldi, Corey Seager and Evan Carter. One could also include Jake Burger going down a week prior to this list.

But somehow, they have found their way back over the .500 mark at 68-67. This is the most fight this team has appeared to have all year as they have won five out of their last six and continue to chase a spot in the playoffs.

Their lone loss came at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of their three-game series. They were able to bounce back from that and dominated the rest of the set, outscoring the Angles, 27-6, in the final two contests.

Rangers Probable Starters Against Athletics

Now, following their destruction of Los Angeles, the Rangers are heading into a series against the Athletics, who have been surging as of late by winning seven out of their last 10.

This will be the first game for Texas without their shortstop Seager, who underwent and appendectomy procedure. The superstar has been phenomenal when he's been in the lineup, so replacing him is going to be hard to do.

Game 1 is scheduled to be matchup between Jack Leiter and Jeffrey Springs. The two have similar numbers this season, but Leiter has the lower ERA mark of 3.81 compared to Springs' 4.15. Following that matchup, Merrill Kelly is set to go in the second game with the starter yet to be named for the Athletics, while Jacob deGrom scheduled to pitch in the finale opposite of J.T. Ginn.

The Rangers' rotation has been stellar for virtually the entire year, and with Leiter coming off his career-best outing and Kelly set to be followed by deGrom, they have the upper hand entering this division showdown.

There have been very few times this season that Texas put up four or more runs and lost the game. Most of the time they are losing games because they are unable to reach that mark, and now with all the losses they have suffered to their lineup, those who are healthy -- like Josh Jung -- will have to step up and produce.

Josh Jung has ben unstoppable since returning from his brief stint with AAA Round Rock pic.twitter.com/gKpexj5CsK
— Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@rangers__nation) August 5, 2025

The Rangers have made it hard on their fans this season since they have had extreme highs and lows throughout the campaign. And despite not playing their best for much of the year, they are still in a spot where they can make the playoffs with a strong close to the season.

Doing so will be difficult based on all the injuries they have suffered as of late. But if they want to secure a Wild Card spot, they need to overcome those absences and make a push to close out August to build momentum for September.

That has to start against the Athletics, a team that has begun to play much better as of late and is coming off a sweep over the American League's top seed in the Detroit Tigers.