Sunday, September 21

ARLINGTON -- The last time Tyler Mahle took the mound for the Rangers on June 10, they were four games under .500 and floating aimlessly throughout the American League postseason picture. 

Since then, the Rangers have gone through a bigger roller coaster than anybody could’ve expected. They’ve fallen to as many as six games under .500, they’ve rallied back to buy at the Trade Deadline, they struggled once again to six games under before a recent winning streak got them to just two games back of the lead in the AL West.  

But again, after a three-game sweep at the hands of the Astros in Houston this week, the Rangers could not afford to lose any more games if they want to keep their postseason hopes alive.  

After watching most of the season from the sidelines, Mahle took the mound on Friday at Globe Life Field looking to do enough to put Texas in a position to win. At the very least, he did his job. The right-hander tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings against the Marlins and left with the Rangers in the lead.  

Texas ultimately lost its fifth game in a row after the bullpen stumbled late, first when Robert Garcia surrendered a game-tying, pinch-hit, solo homer to Javier Sanoja in the seventh inning and again when Hoby Milner and Patrick Corbin combined to allow five runs (three earned) in extra innings.  

“I wanted to put myself in a position to be able to pitch in the postseason, so that was the main focus…” Mahle began. 

“Or is the main focus,” he corrected himself to present tense. “To go off into the offseason healthy is big, even though it might only be two starts, but hopefully somehow we can get this into the playoffs and I can pitch some more.” 

Mahle, who turns 31 on Sept. 29, missed the Rangers’ previous 85 games with right shoulder fatigue. The right-hander made three rehab starts with Triple-A Round Rock, allowing five earned runs in 7 1/3 innings. The last 6 1/3 frames he threw were scoreless.

He was on track for an electric 2025 before he landed on the injured list, posting a 2.34 ERA in 14 starts. He practically picked up where he left off in Friday’s loss, lowering his ERA to 2.20 on the year.  

Mahle at Globe Life Field this season has posted a 0.74 ERA in nine starts across 48 2/3 innings, marking the lowest ERA over a Washington/Texas pitcher’s first nine home starts of a season in franchise history, just ahead of Rick Honeycutt’s 0.98 mark in 1983. He still has yet to permit a home run at Globe Life Field this season -- and likely won’t pitch again in Arlington before the homestand is up -- with his 48 2/3 homerless innings at home in 2025 representing the most in baseball. 

“I felt really good,” Mahle said. “I felt like I never missed a step from where I left off. I just made pitches and had good defense behind me. Just making pitches. Focus on making pitches.” 

Mahle signed a two-year deal with the Rangers entering the 2024 season amid his rehab from Tommy John surgery. But he has only made 18 starts over the past two years, posting a 2.58 ERA in 94 1/3 innings over that time.

Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien took live batting practice and did some running on Friday at Globe Life Field. He continued with more batting practice and sprints the following day. He hopes to be able to return to the field with seven games left this season after being sidelined with a fracture of the third metatarsal in his left foot and a sprain of the lisfranc ligament in his foot, though that will likely depend on the Rangers' position in the postseason race. 

“My foot felt good, so I'm excited to see what else I can do even the next couple days,” Semien said. “Knowing there's only a little over a week left, I hope I can get through this stuff. Hopefully they see enough to let me back in. 

“I just want to make sure I'm comfortable. If I feel comfortable, I'll go play. But if something doesn't feel right and it's risking surgery or something, definitely a no-no. But hitting felt good today.” 

Scott Littlefield, who spent the past 16 years as an integral member of the Rangers' baseball operations department, passed away on Friday morning in Houston, where he was on assignment for the team. He was 59. 

Littlefield joined the Rangers' organization in November 2009 as a professional scout and has been heavily involved in the club’s amateur and international scouting operation. He was honored as Texas’ Red Jacket Scout of the Year in 2019. 

He previously scouted for the Braves (1991-97) and Pirates (1997-2004). The native of Maine resided in Long Beach, Calif. 

“The Texas Rangers are devastated by the passing of Scott Littlefield,” said president of baseball operations Chris Young. “Scott was one of the most respected scouts in Major League Baseball who had an incredible impact on this organization. His voice was influential in all aspects of our baseball operation from professional, amateur and international scouting to Major League player evaluation. He was an invaluable resource and advisor. 

“More importantly, he was one of the most genuine and caring individuals in the game. The Littlefields are a baseball family, with his two children and two brothers all working for MLB teams. Several of us were just with Scott in Houston this week, and his passion for our team never waned.” 

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