May 24, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (15) looks on from the dugout before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Rangers Hit New Low When It Comes To Their Playoff Chances

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI | By Brad Wakai | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 1:33 PM ET

The Texas Rangers lost another heartbreaker on Friday night.

After Jacob deGrom spun a gem for them against the stout Toronto Blue Jays offense, the fanbase had to sit back and watch the team implode once again with another late-innings loss that has become all too common for this group.

For the second consecutive time, it was Phil Maton who was responsible for the loss, although the other bullpen trade deadline pickup of Danny Coulombe can also be given some blame for how things turned out on Friday. This marks the third game in a row where these players have had a hand in this current three-game losing streak.

Inserted into the contest in the bottom of the eighth inning to protect a 5-2 lead, Coulombe gave up three straight singles where one of them resulted in a run scored. That was all for the left-hander, as Bruce Bochy decided to pull him before he recorded a single out.

Maton came in with runners on first and third with nobody out, and the right-hander didn't have much success either, with him walking the bases loaded before recording a strikeout, then walking home a run and giving up a two-run single that gave the Blue Jays a 6-5 lead.

Alejandro Kirk delivers yet again

The @BlueJays come back to take the lead in the 8th! pic.twitter.com/a4TsV2f5vN
— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 2025

It's hard to imagine Texas can take many more gut-punch losses like this, with all three losses in a row -- which now has them one game under .500 -- coming in the eighth inning or later when their deadline additions have been on the mound.

Entering Saturday 7.5 games out of first place in the AL West and 4.5 back from the final Wild Card spot, it's safe to say the Rangers' chances of making the playoffs are on life support because of this brutal stretch at a critical time.

Rangers Playoff Odds Hit Season-Long Low

Because of that, FanGraphs has now given the Rangers a brutal 12.4% chance to make the playoffs, the lowest it's been all season. The previous low came on July 9 when their odds were at 12.7%.

What makes this projection even more frustrating is that on July 27 -- when they had a 56-50 record and had won six in a row and nine out of their last 10 -- their odds to make the playoffs, according to FanGraphs, was 51.4%.

Since that point, Texas has gone 5-12, losing close game after close game where the offense either doesn't come through for the pitching staff or the bullpen has given games away late.

It has not been a season to write home about for the Rangers, and because of that, they are staring another missed playoffs right in the face.