{"id":236294,"date":"2025-09-18T12:03:21","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T12:03:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/236294\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T12:03:21","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T12:03:21","slug":"after-whiffing-badly-in-houston-rangers-recognize-immense-challenge-they-face","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/236294\/","title":{"rendered":"After whiffing badly in Houston, Rangers recognize immense challenge they face"},"content":{"rendered":"

HOUSTON \u2014 The Texas Rangers<\/a>, while short in some areas, have not lacked an internal confidence in their abilities to beat the odds, conventional thought and historical precedence this season.<\/p>\n

They believed that their rotation could maintain its early dominant pace. They believed that their offense would resurrect itself after a dismal start. They believed that a host of anonymous newcomers could carry the team whilst high-profile stars sat injured. <\/p>\n

They may still believe that the postseason is a viable destination after floundered in a key series against the Houston Astros<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Their tone, though, has shifted into a sullen recognition of the immense challenge that they now face to have a shot at October baseball and the probability that will work against them. <\/p>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t really know exactly where we stand,\u201d outfielder Wyatt Langford said Wednesday night after a 5-2 loss at Daikin Park<\/a>, \u201cbut I\u2019m sure we probably have to win pretty much every game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not quite, but, close. The Rangers now trail the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners by 4.5 games for the American League\u2019s third Wild Card berth with nine games left to play in the regular season. <\/p>\n

Their three-game series against the Astros represented the last-best opportunity to handle their own business. The Rangers could\u2019ve at least leapfrogged the Astros had they swept or kept pace with the pack had they won two of three; instead the Astros mowed them down, claimed the Silver Boot Series trophy again and are first place in the AL West<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is tough because it\u2019s the last time you face them and that\u2019s who you\u2019re chasing,\u201d third baseman Josh Jung said. \u201cBut we\u2019re not out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mathematically, no, they are not. But, as manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday night, \u201cthat margin of error has gotten real small.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know our backs are to the wall,\u201d Bochy said. \u201cThat\u2019s how we have to look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how it is. The Rangers are eliminated from playoff contention if they win three or fewer of their next nine games regardless of what the rest of the field does. Four wins in that stretch does not guarantee much, either, because the Mariners, now 83-69, hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Rangers hold the same advantage over the Red Sox, at least, but must also deal with the Cleveland Guardians who sit between them and the final playoff spot. Even five or six wins would require significant meltdowns from their competitors. <\/p>\n

If the Rangers were to win all nine games, as Langford suggested, they\u2019d still need help. The Red Sox would need to go 5-5 or worse for the Rangers to finish above them in that instance. The Mariners would need to go 4-6 or worse for the Rangers to finish above them. The Guardians would need to finish 8-3 or worse and lose one of the three games that they\u2019ll play vs. the Rangers to avoid any tiebreaker drama on that front. The Rangers need to finish above at least two of those three teams. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe kind of have to play perfect on the way out just to have a fighting chance,\u201d designated hitter Joc Pederson said. \u201cIt is what it is. We\u2019ve got to move forward and learn from it. It sucks.\u201d<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll move forward Friday when the out-of-contention Miami Marlins arrive at Globe Life Field<\/a>. That\u2019s the start of a six-game home stand which also includes a Minnesota Twins team that has been among baseball\u2019s worst since their fire sale at the July 31 trade deadline. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a window that the Rangers must capitalize on to have a chance. <\/p>\n

Even that may not be enough. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve just got to go out there and win games,\u201d right-handed pitcher Jacob deGrom said. \u201cTry to win the rest of them.\u201d<\/p>\n