The Texas Rangers have had an average season, and if they want to make the playoffs, one promising young player needs to shine.
The 2026 Major League Baseball season for the Texas Rangers has been defined by average play.
At 51-51, the Rangers have been treading water for most of the season. From April to June, they fought just to achieve and maintain a .500 record. Occasionally, there have been times when the Rangers look like they can pull away and win consistently, but it never lasts.
Luckily for Texas, the American League West Division is very weak this season. Therefore, being 51-51 is enough for the Rangers to be in first place. However, the Seattle Mariners are right behind them, and the two teams are about to enter a four-game series against each other.
If the Rangers want to stay on track, their upcoming series is incredibly important. But in the bigger picture, if Texas wants to have enough success in the second half of the season to reach the playoffs, it is going to need more from one of its best players.
Langford must step up
Recently, The Athletic did a power rankings list to identify the best and the worst teams in order. Unsurprisingly, the Rangers landed at No. 15 among the 30 MLB teams.
Texas fell from No. 14 in The Athletic’s previous rankings to its current position, and Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford was named as the player who needs to be an All-Star for his team in the second half.
The Athletic pointed to Corey Seager’s return to the Injured List as the reason why additional onus fell on Langford. The 24-year-old missed the entire month of May with a right forearm strain before missing additional time between June and July with a left hamstring strain.
Langford is healthy now, and he has been very productive this season. In 50 games, Langford is hitting .282 with a .329 on-base percentage, a .510 slugging percentage and an .839 OPS. Except for his on-base percentage, those are the highest marks of Langford’s three-year career.
Because his production has been so strong, an argument can be made that the most important thing for Langford to do is stay healthy. Seager has been a lost cause this season due to consistent injuries and dwindling numbers, and the future of the Rangers’ success now largely resides with Langford.
As The Athletic mentioned, Langford is not alone. Josh Jung, Joc Pederson, and Brandon Nimmo have all helped carry the load. However, it will be on Langford to be the best offensive presence on the team eventually, and that time is coming sooner rather than later if the Rangers want to play in October.
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