Despite a flurry of injuries that have hit the Texas Rangers recently, they have been able to stand firm in the American League West Division race. They have been looking up at the Houston Astros, who have held first place for most of this season.
But the Rangers, behind the bat of Wyatt Langford and the pitching of Nathan Eovaldi, have still been in the hunt. Entering Tuesday night's game at Globe Life Field against the National League Central Division-leading Milwaukee Brewers, Texas sits 3.5 games behind the Astros in the AL West. The Rangers are 1.5 games out of an AL Wild Card spot.
Watching the Rangers hustle their way, even in the midst of a flurry of injuries, into contention has given fans hope. It's just been a couple of years since the Rangers won the World Series. There's nothing that Rangers fans would love more than to take over the Astros en route to another world championship.
Right now, though, where do they stand in the MLB Power Rankings? According to The Athletic, Texas is holding firm at No. 13. When looking over the recent activity by the Rangers on the field, The Athletic's Andy McCullough offers his insights into what's happening right now.
"Texas surged back into contention just as pretty much everything started to fall apart for it in late August," McCullough wrote. "Marcus Semien broke his foot. Nathan Eovaldi suffered a strained rotator cuff. Corey Seager required an appendectomy. Only Seager has a chance of returning this year.
"Meanwhile, the team is about to face the Brewers, Mets and Astros," McCullough wrote. "If the club can stay within striking distance of Seattle, perhaps it will beat the odds and return to the postseason. Heading into Monday’s games, FanGraphs pegged Texas’ chances at 15.3 percent. Stranger things have happened."
MLB teams know that Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has done a fantastic job with the team. He's gotten a ton of respect in MLB circles, not only for the job he's done in Texas but for his previous world championships with the San Francisco Giants.
If there's any manager who knows how to handle adversity well, then it's Bochy. Rangers fans have come to watch and admire Bochy's managing style. Sure, some of them get frustrated at times with some moves that might backfire.
Still, the Rangers are led by a manager who's been through the postseason wars. He knows what it takes to get there in the first place, then maneuver into a potential World Series appearance. Time is of the essence, though, for Texas. They have to keep it together and push their way into the postseason. It's now or never.