The Texas Rangers scored six runs while the Minnesota Twins scored two runs.
Earlier this month, the Rangers saw their leadoff hitter and most potent bat against right handers go down with a broken wrist. A few days later, their best and most reliable starting pitcher over the second half hit the shelf for the rest of the year. Last night, Texas’ most clutch and consistent hitter broke his wrist as well, ending his season.
Today, on a rain slick Target Field in Minneapolis, creaky veteran Brandon Nimmo
slipped or tripped and limped to his position. Substitute infielder Nicky Lopez later spent a half inning trying to work out the kinks from an awkward landing trying to beat out a bunt. He was later lifted.
Jake Burger was kicked off the team for refusing to shave his goatee. Corey Seager developed gigantism due to overindulging on nerve tonic. Poor Danny Jansen succumbed to radiation poisoning as a result of working a side gig at an experimental data center. Cursed with toxic narcissistic tendencies, Wyatt Langford missed the team flight after playing hero trying to save a neighbor’s possessions from a burning house. Evan Carter disappeared after making a visit to the Duluth Mystery Spot tourist trap. Jacob Latz fit the description of a wanted murderer and now awaits justice in a St. Paul jail cell. Ezequiel Duran was knocked out debating historical English politics at a bar in Shakopee. Trying to shake bouts of confidence issues, Jacob deGrom was hypnotized into believing he’s a chicken by a quack team psychologist.
As you can see, a lot has gone wrong for Texas this season and especially of late. But here’s another interesting factoid: As of this very moment, the Rangers lead the American League West by half a game.
After scoring four, two-out runs in the top of the second, and after getting the usual courageous outing from Nathan Eovaldi, the Rangers turned a 1-0 first inning deficit into a pretty easy win to accomplish the modest goal of ensuring that every game this season will have mattered.
Of course, that ultimately only really matters for the purposes of extending this season into the playoffs as the first non-winning team to ever earn a division title if Houston loses at least one more game and the Rangers win tomorrow (assuming the Astros don’t just lose their final two games, which I suppose is possible given this season in this division).
Considering the Rangers will also be playing to end this year with a .500 record, it would at least be a fitting finish.
Player of the Game: They could never make me hate you, Nathan Eovaldi. Limited in the number of bullets in the chamber today, the Rangers legend tossed 4 1/3 innings of one run ball on four hits and couple of walks. After allowing a first inning run, Eovaldi buckled down for 71 serviceable pitches to help get the Rangers to game No. 162 with a shot.
Also, Danny Jansen drew my ire often during his first season in Texas, but today he had two RBI hits, including a home run and also the two out blooper that started the string of scoring during the Rangers’ four-run second inning rally that broke open the game and allowed the Rangers to coast to victory.
Up Next: The final game of the regular season will be played with the Rangers still clinging to postseason hopes. Texas hasn’t announced a season finale starter but perhaps it will be LHP MacKenzie Gore. Minnesota will counter with RHP Dean Kremer.
The Sunday afternoon first pitch from Target Field is scheduled for 2:10 pm CDT and the Rangers Sports Network will carry it one last time this year.
