The Texas Rangers have had a terrible 2024 season, falling far short of expectations, following last fall’s historic World Series title. This past season (2023), the Rangers were unstoppable offensively. They dominated the league in every offensive statistic imaginable, including runs scored, batting average, home runs, and more. It was possible for their hitters to carry the team since their pitching was excellent enough to keep them in games. In 2024, everything has gone horribly wrong at the plate, and nearly everyone is to blame. The first-half point total for Marcus Semien is 32 points fewer than his season-ago total. His 73 extra-base hits from a year ago are dwarfed by the 28 he’s projected to collect this season. When compared to last year, his overall slash line is far less severe.
Corey Seager is on par with or maybe worse than that. His batting average is 72 points lower and his number of extra-base hits is 21 down from 75 in the previous season. He has played in 69 of his team’s 80 games thus far, despite missing time due to injuries. With Adolis Garcia, it’s pretty much the same. He has dropped 27 points from his previous year’s performance. Compared to previous year, he has 25 fewer extra-base hits. They hit 101 home runs between the three of them in 2024. They are projected to reach 78 points this season. There are others besides them. Wednesday, Ezequiel Duran—who was essential as a utility player last season—was optioned to the minor leagues. Following a season in which he hit 17 home runs, Nathaniel Lowe is currently on track to hit six. Before going on the injured list with back problems, Evan Carter—who was pivotal in September and the playoffs—had a terrible season.
On the other hand, there is still a glimpse of optimism. They are one of eight clubs vying for the final two wild card slots, should the Yankees and Orioles each receive one. In remaining contention are the following clubs: Tigers, Red Sox, Royals, Twins, Astros, Rangers, Rays, Blue Jays. At the moment, the top three teams are in a virtual tie, while the remaining teams in the group are lurking but still have a ways to go. Max Scherzer had a triumphant return and delivered a gem in his season debut, shutting out the Royals in five innings. With plenty of time on their hands, Semien, Seager, and Garcia—the Big Three—can get back on track. In the second half, you might see one, two, or perhaps all three of them get hot. There is no reason the Rangers can’t get back into the wild-card race if those three can turn things around, Scherzer can stay healthy and productive, and Jacob DeGrom can return to the rotation shortly and be effective. A smoldering Rangers squad will put the squeeze on any of their opponents, because every team has its flaws.
Even though they’ve had a rough start to 2024, there’s still plenty of opportunity for growth, particularly from their key players. It would not be surprising if the Rangers could play themselves back into the playoffs with half the season remaining. When they are on a roll, no team wants to play against them.
