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Coming into the 2025 MLB regular season, there were a lot of people who thought the Texas Rangers could be the cream of the crop in the American League.
Their lineup had been bolstered in the offseason by the additions of first baseman Jake Burger and designated hitter Joc Pederson. They would provide some legitimate power, giving the Rangers arguably the best 1-through-9 in baseball.
A bullpen revamp also occurred with Kirby Yates, David Robertson, Jose Leclerc and Andrew Chafin all hitting free agency.
Chris Martin, Luke Jackson, Hoby Milner, Shawn Armstrong and Jacob Webb were all signed in free agency in response. The team also acquired Robert Garcia in a trade with the Washington Nationals.
Their starting rotation looked strong as well, with some incredible depth. Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Cody Bradford, Jon Gray, Tyler Mahle, Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter were all in the mix during spring training.
On paper, this looked like one of the strongest rosters in the MLB.
Of course, games are played on the field not on paper or the computer and some things haven’t gone according to plan.
Injuries have hit the roster again with Gray, Bradford and Leiter all hitting the injured list. Emerging young star outfielder Wyatt Langford was also sidelined for just under two weeks.
That hasn’t slowed the team down, with Texas currently residing in first place of the American League West with a 13-9 record.
Their success out of the gate has them ranked No. 9 in the MLB power rankings done this week over at The Athletic (subscription required).
The theme of this edition was comparing year-over-year results, seeing how much teams have improved, or worsened, from this time last year.
The Rangers remain in the same spot of the ranking as they did in 2024. But, things unraveled for them after that.
Their pitching staff was largely to blame with injuries and underwhelming performances doing them in. Some advanced stats hinted that regression was coming, but the start this year feels more sustainable because of the dominance on the mound.
“Would you like to venture a guess which rotation leads the AL this year in ERA (2.85), FIP (3.34), fewest hits allowed (86), fewest home runs allowed (11, tied with Seattle), earned runs allowed (37) and opponent’s batting average (.201), while leading the entire sport in walks-per-nine (2.24) and WHIP (0.96)?...
For now, that translates to exactly the same ranking they had last year. But maybe that makes sense — they’re in the exact same position in the standings they were last year, too,” wrote Levi Weaver of The Athletic.
Mahle and Leiter likely aren’t going to sustain ERAs of 0.68 and 0.90 for the entire season with eye-popping ERA+ numbers of 576 and 442, respectively.
But the entire staff has shown flashes of brilliance, and the new bullpen has been excellent.
Why this start feels different from 2024 despite some of the similarities is that the offense hasn’t gotten close to its peak.
When things get on track at the plate, combined with the stellar pitching, Texas will look like the contender many predicted them to be.
More must-reads:
- Why Brewers manager Pat Murphy continues to exceed expectations
- Why did the Orioles activate star player during last week of season?
- The 'Switch-hitter single-season HR leaders' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
The 'MLB 400 home runs, 200 steals' quiz
Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels are once again to miss out on the MLB postseason, but Trout will get to head into his 2026 campaign with a major milestone completed. Trout hit his 400th-career home run in the eighth inning of an Angels 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies this weekend, making him the 59th MLB player to eclipse 400 homers. After the accomplishment, Trout met with the fan who caught his ball on the field for a quick game of catch (and some signed memorabilia) in exchange for the piece of history. Which brings us to today's quiz. While age and a history of injuries will likely keep Trout from ever returning to his MVP form again, he's one of the most accomplished all-around players in MLB history. With that being said, how many of the 15 players in Major League Baseball history to rack up at least 400 home runs and 200 stolen bases in their career can you name in five minutes? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
Former HC does not hold back on Cowboys' atrocious defense
The Dallas Cowboys have played about as poorly as they possibly can on defense through the first three weeks of the NFL season. One week after needing a pair of late field goals from kicker Brandon Aubrey to outlast the New York Giants, 40-37, in overtime, the Cowboys dropped their second game in three weeks on Sunday in a 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears, showing no signs of improvement whatsoever. Rex Ryan blasts Cowboys defense Simply put, Dallas just looks lost on defense, leading to former head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan going off during Monday's edition of "Get Up." "Just when we thought it couldn't get worse, this defense comes up with even a worse performance," Ryan said. ... "You're so dumb. I can't stand it. Do something. I don't want to hear about you can't rush the passer. Then how about we send more players on the quarterback. We can't play zone coverage, then how about we play man coverage. You guys stink. Dumbsday defense." Dallas had no answers for the Bears and QB Caleb Williams on Sunday. After struggling to find a rhythm in the first two games, Williams was sensational, throwing for 298 yards and four TDs to pick up head coach Ben Johnson's first win in Chicago. As good as Williams was, though, the Cowboys defense certainly helped. Dallas (1-2) has given up 92 points through three games and is 28th in the league in opponent points per game (30.7 PPG), per TeamRankings. Something Ryan alluded to in his rant was Dallas' inability to stop Chicago on a 19-play, 76-yard drive in the third quarter that took 9:54 off the clock. It was a 24-14 game before then, and the Cowboys were picked off on each of their final three drives afterward to seal their fate. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been solid, accounting for 800 passing yards — fourth-most in the league — and three TDs. Before Sunday, he had only thrown one interception. The run game has also contributed four combined TDs between Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, providing a much-needed balance. That has ultimately not mattered with the defense unable to get stops and limit drives from opposing teams. To make matters worse, star wideout CeeDee Lamb suffered a left ankle injury in the loss on Sunday, and it sounds like he could land on injured reserve, which would put him out of action for at least four games. That is the last thing Dallas needs right now. The team will likely be without its best player for an extended period of time, in addition to having an abysmal defense, which does not sound encouraging going forward for a franchise that always seems to be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Cowboys' Jerry Jones provides ominous injury update on CeeDee Lamb
As the Dallas Cowboys look to find their footing after a 1-2 start, their top offensive playmaker doesn't look like he'll be around to help. On Monday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones provided an update on wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (ankle), telling reporters that the All-Pro could be moved to injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games. Lamb suffered a high-ankle sprain during the first quarter of the Cowboys' Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears, 31-14, but Jones attempted to remain optimistic afterward, saying, "Let's just keep our fingers crossed" when asked about his star receiver's health. CeeDee Lamb's absence would be near impossible to replace Lamb only played seven offensive snaps against the Bears and didn't record a catch. In the season's first two games, the four-time Pro Bowler had 16 receptions for 222 yards. His 13.9 yards per reception are tied for his career high, set in 2021. Lamb is by far Dallas' most dynamic and reliable playmaker, and his absence will certainly be felt. The Cowboys are heavily dependent on their passing attack, ranking first in the league in pass attempts, averaging 43.7 per game. Running back Javonte Williams, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, has been a pleasant surprise, but defenses will be able to put an added emphasis on stopping the run when game planning for Dallas without Lamb. Wide receiver George Pickens, added in an offseason trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, isn't dependable enough to shoulder the load of the passing offense at wide receiver. On Sunday, he dropped a perfectly placed pass from Dak Prescott, with the ball bouncing off his hands and to Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds for an interception. Afterward, Pickens had an outburst on the sideline, slamming his helmet on the turf as Lamb and others watched. The Cowboys don't have a defense capable of stopping opponents either. Through three games, they've allowed 30.7 points and 397.7 yards per game while also ranking last in third-down defense, with opponents converting at a 53.7 percent clip. Lamb is one of the two players, along with Prescott, that Dallas can't afford to lose. He's indispensable to the Cowboys offense, which will likely have a hard time moving the football in Week 4 against the top-ranked Green Bay Packers defense. Games at the New York Jets (0-3) and Carolina Panthers (1-2) are more manageable, but the stretch ends with an NFC East showdown against the Washington Commanders (2-1). Regardless of the opponent, the next four weeks — if that is how long Lamb misses — will be a real test for first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. And based on the Cowboys roster, he might be set up to fail.
NBA Rumors: Jonathan Kuminga, Quentin Grimes, Russell Westbrook, free agency
Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency continues to drag on, leaving the Warriors in limbo. Golden State recently made a new three-year offer to their 22-year-old forward, but his agent has already said that taking the $8 million qualifying offer remains a real possibility. Until this gets resolved, the Warriors are stuck. They’ve been connected to veterans Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II, along with names like Seth Curry and Cody Martin, but those deals can’t get finalized until Kuminga’s situation is clear. Golden State technically only has 10 players under contract — the fewest in the league — and still has two unsigned draft picks (Alex Toohey and Will Richard) along with two-way RFA Taran Armstrong hanging out there. Grimes and the Sixers Quentin Grimes is another restricted free agent still waiting. Unlike Kuminga, there hasn’t been much noise around his talks with Philadelphia lately. The Sixers clearly like him, but time is running short with the October 1 qualifying offer deadline looming. Westbrook and the Kings Russell Westbrook remains the most decorated unrestricted free agent still on the market. Sacramento has been his only real link so far, but the Kings have been hesitant to make other moves while they keep an eye on Kuminga’s RFA process. A resolution there could open the door for Westbrook. Achiuwa Watch Precious Achiuwa surprisingly remains unsigned. He turned 26 this summer and has been on the radar for both EuroLeague teams and NBA clubs. Panathinaikos showed interest before pivoting to Richaun Holmes, while Miami has been linked but is limited by the tax line. Other UFAs There are still a handful of familiar NBA names floating around: Ben Simmons (who has considered retirement), Monte Morris, Cameron Payne, Malik Beasley (still tied to a gambling probe), Alec Burks, Mo Bamba and Thomas Bryant. Training camps are less than two weeks away, and jobs are scarce.
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