The Texas Rangers scored six runs while the Arizona Diamondbacks scored two runs.
Josh Jung had been the Rangers’ best and most consistent hitter throughout most of the first half of the season and right as the season’s second half was kicking into gear, Jung went down with a calf strain that was initially expected to be minor before it cost the third baseman nearly two months worth of action.
Things weren’t exactly easy for this lineup even with him on the field. Without him, however, the Rangers
struggled to an even greater degree to consistently score runs. I suppose that makes sense as they were without their only non-platoon regular who was sporting an OPS north of .800 and also the squad’s leader in batting average.
Tonight, at last, Jung made his return and the Rangers had a new but familiar No. 3 hitter. Jung didn’t miss a beat as he singled in his first at-bat and later singled and drove in a run in the top of the fifth to extend a rally which would see the Rangers score all six of their runs.
In addition to Jung’s reappearance, Nathan Eovaldi also returned to action after missing more than a month. There’s perhaps not enough time left to ramp Eovaldi back up for his spot in the rotation, so the veteran arm is being used as a Swiss army knife for the ‘pen.
Tonight the 2023 Game 5 World Series winner took the Chase Field mound once again and tossed 2 2/3 innings of one-run ball to shepherd the game through until Jacob Latz collected the final four outs.
Eovaldi took on bridge building duties because tonight’s starter Kumar Rocker lasted just four innings on 65 pitches despite working with a five-run lead. After allowing the first two hitters to reach in the bottom of the fifth, Rocker was lifted for a third recent returnee Ranger with Robert Garcia coming on and working around the inherited danger to get the ball to Eovaldi.
Other than Garcia, the Rangers had these guys for the majority of the season so you can’t really say “oh what might have been…” but it’s clear that they were missed during a period where the Rangers couldn’t pull ahead in the destitute American League.
Maybe it’s not too late.
Player of the Game: Batting ninth, catcher Elias Diaz produced a team-best three hits, including the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the fifth that helped to spark the six-run frame which saw the Texas send ten batters to the plate.
Up Next: The Rangers and D-Backs close out this series with a matinee matchup featuring a pitcher to be named for Texas opposite LHP Eduardo Rodriguez for Arizona.
The Sunday afternoon finale first pitch from Chase Field is scheduled for 3:10 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
