The Texas Rangers swept the Los Angeles Angels and are now sitting in first place in the American League West division.
Texas has now won nine straight home games and eight straight games against the Angels, tying the franchise record for consecutive wins against the division rival.
The Rangers’ defense led them in this series, allowing just four runs in three games and pitching a shutout in the first game.
Texas now has a strong hold on the division lead, with a record of 12-7 following the series sweep. It leads the Seattle Mariners by 2 games and the Angels by 2.5 games for first place.
The biggest concerns for the Rangers in the division are the recent difficulties with the Mariners, who have seemingly managed to figure out the Rangers in recent years.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Rangers had a record of just 3-10 against Seattle last season and are currently 0-3 against the ball club this year, resulting in a concerning trend that could impact the team later in the season.
While these concerns should be at the forefront of the Rangers’ minds this season, the current priority is the upcoming series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Rangers will face the Dodgers in a three-game series beginning tonight at 7:05 p.m., followed by matchups against Los Angeles on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. and Sunday at 2:35 p.m.
This matchup will help indicate how close the Rangers are to competing at the highest level, as the Dodgers are the reigning World Series Champions and continued adding to the roster over the offseason.
Naturally, it is still incredibly early in the season, and both teams have room for improvement. Still, a win over the reigning champions can provide massive confidence for this young Rangers team.