The Texas Rangers have dropped another series after losing two of three games against the Cleveland Guardians, effectively ensuring the World Series Champions will miss the 2024 playoffs.
Texas won the first game of the series after an impressive four-run second inning, which helped propel the team to a 5-3 victory over the Guardians.
However, Cleveland won the final two games of the series after the Rangers gave up 13 runs in the second and struggled to get their bats going in the third to lose 4-2.
The Rangers now sit at just 60-71 on the season despite entering the year as one of the favorites to win the World Series, resulting in a disappointing run at a potential back-to-back World Series appearance.
Since returning from the All-Star break, the Rangers have had one of the worst records in the entire MLB at just 14-21, while the Houston Astros have put together a record of 20-15, and the Seattle Mariners have a record of 15-19, according to StatMuse.
The Astros currently lead the Rangers by 10 games for first place in the American League West division. Texas also trails the Mariners by seven games for second place.
With Houston on pace to win the division with roughly 87 wins this year, the Rangers would have to be nearly perfect to finish the season if there is any hope of making the playoffs.
Current projections from ESPN state that the Rangers have just a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs, meaning it is unlikely fans will be able to watch another historic performance from the team in the coming months.
Despite the team’s struggles this year, starting pitcher Cody Bradford said he is staying “locked in” for the remainder of the season as the Rangers look to build momentum.
“I love baseball. God’s given me the ability to play it, so I want to play it with all my heart. If that means starting for the Rangers, then it’s an honor to take that role. If it’s in the bullpen, I don’t care, I just want to play for the Rangers,” he said, as reported by The Dallas Morning News.
The Rangers are set to begin a series against the Chicago White Sox tonight at 7:10 p.m. CT, where they will look to stack up some more wins before the end of the year.