Sunday, October 25

Welcome back to the Rangers Beat newsletter.

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers are playing meaningful baseball in September. 

As the calendar turned to September this week, the Rangers remain stuck in a battle both for the American League West and potentially for the third and final Wild Card spot. It hasn’t gone perfectly to this point, but Texas is in a good position to be able to get into the postseason and make a run. 

“We’re playing good baseball right now,” said outfielder Brandon Nimmo. “Let's just take that one day at a time. Let's try and take care of the fundamentals each day. It's a lot of the same of what we've been doing. Just keep trying to find a way to win each day, and then the standings will take care of themselves.

"We're in a position right now that the postseason is a very realistic thing for us. We just need to play like that and play like we belong. We're probably not going to win the rest of the games in September, but you prepare in a way that we're trying to win today and right now.”

Here are the five Rangers who will be the most important for the club’s postseason push: 

SS Corey Seager 

Seager’s season has been stalled by a pair of back-related injured list stints, as well as a concussion that kept him sidelined for nearly two weeks in June. He really didn’t hit his stride until August, when he slashed .284/.376/.432 in his first real extended stretch of health this season. 

A healthy and hot Seager has shown he has the ability to carry the Rangers. A strong finish will do wonders for him and the team.  

RHP Jacob deGrom

It always starts with the starting pitching. And the starting pitching begins with the ace. deGrom, in his own words, has not looked quite like himself for various stretches this season. After posting a 3.49 ERA in 18 starts before the All-Star break, he’s struggled to a 5.40 ERA since. He’s not pitching to his own standards and he knows that. And he knows he’ll need to if the Rangers want to sniff October. 

deGrom refused to waive his no-trade clause at the Deadline, affirming that he wants to play postseason baseball and he wants to do it in Texas. He’ll have to be a big part of getting them there. 

UTL Ezequiel Duran

The no-doubt team MVP, the Rangers’ super-utility star will need to close out his career-best season to continue his spark behind the Rangers' offense. Duran has cruised up the American League fWAR leaderboard this season. His 4.8 fWAR this season is good for sixth in the AL behind only Bobby Witt Jr. (6.3), Yordan Alvarez (5.9), Dylan Cease (5.4), Cam Schlittler (5.4) and Dillon Dingler (4.9). He ranks among AL leaders in three-hit games (tied for fourth, 11) and batting average (10th, .276).

He’s also appeared in every position except pitcher and catcher this year, garnering the nickname “The Solution.” That’s the nickname of a guy who carries a team to the postseason. 

3B Josh Jung 

Jung, and his health specifically, could be the most important piece of the Rangers seeing the postseason.

Jung did more jogging on Thursday, describing it as “linear with two arcs.” It’s the first time he’s run three days in a row since straining his left calf, having been shut down in each of the previous attempts. Running to bases is the next step before determining if it’s full-go for a rehab assignment and eventual activation. 

Jung has been doing all full baseball activities except full-speed running lately, and should be as fresh as possible when he’s eventually activated. 

And more importantly, the Rangers are 46-46 (.500) with Jung in the starting lineup, 23-25 (.479) without him. That could definitely be the difference in making the postseason or not. 

RHP Nathan Eovaldi and RHP Jack Leiter

This is cheating, but the two injured starters are in the same boat. Much like Jung, Eovaldi (right elbow) and Leiter (right ankle) are in the midst of rehabbing with a hopeful return before the end of the season.  

Eovaldi’s value needs no explaining. He’s an experienced veteran pitcher who has experienced multiple playoff pushes, both with the Rangers and elsewhere. He hasn’t been quite as reliable this season, with a 4.21 ERA in 22 starts, but Eovaldi always knows how to turn it on when necessary. 

Leiter likely isn’t going to be able to return as a starter, but he could be a real asset for the club out of the bullpen as a high-leverage power right-handed option. 

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker, infielder Cody Freeman and other members of Texas' coaching staff visited patients Medical City Children's Hospital in Dallas and handed out Joy Jars for the start of Children’s Cancer Awareness Month.

Major League Baseball is running a Players' Weekend Auction containing items worn or used by players during the weekend. All proceeds go to each player's charity of choice.

Among the items are Jake Burger’s game-used clears from Players' Weekend, as well as his “Down Syndrome is Cool” bat, which celebrates his daughter Penelope, who was born with Down syndrome. 

Proceeds from the two items will go to the Burger Family Foundation. 

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