The Texas Rangers’ postseason hopes have grown dimmer as another late-summer slump pushed them further from playoff contention.
After a string of losses ended by a Wednesday victory over the Kansas City Royals, the Rangers sit several games out of the American League wild card and AL West race, raising concerns about whether this team can truly make a run into the postseason.
The Rangers currently sit with a record of just 63-66, meaning they are 5.5 games out of the final wild card spot and third in the AL West standings, trailing the Houston Astros by seven games for the division lead.
Texas has dropped 11 of its last 14 contests, falling behind in critical series against wild-card competitors like the Royals and Seattle Mariners, as offensive woes and inconsistency have derailed what was once a promising campaign.
Rangers shortstop Corey Seager said the team understands the necessity of picking up wins late in the season, but they have still been unable to consistently string together performances to pick up the victories.
“There is no [lack of urgency]. I think this team comes to the field every day expecting and wanting to win, and doing everything we can to win. We haven’t. There’s no way around the fact that we haven’t performed. In the sense of being ready and wanting to get out there and wanting to compete, we have that,” Seager said, per The Dallas Morning News.
Despite the struggles this season, Seager noted that everyone on the roster has been in similar situations.
“Most of the players have been here before, and they know how to win and what it takes to win, and they are doing everything they can to replicate what they’ve done in the past. Unfortunately, at the moment, it’s not happening,” he said to DMN.