ARLINGTON, Texas — Kicking off their final homestand of the year, the Texas Rangers, on their last legs before official playoff consideration elimination, squared off against the AL East trailing Toronto Blue Jays in a series of not much import, other than seeing how players might fit future rosters.
The Blue Jays, who came into this series sporting a better record than Texas despite being in the cellar in their division, brought a packed rotation but a lackluster offense to Arlington. That alignment seemed to reflect how things have gone for the Rangers throughout much of the 2024 season.
Texas, meanwhile, fresh off losing five or six on the road, were trying to give the fans something fun to watch. They succeeded with a series victory, but in the end, hopes of at least an AL West crown were dashed.
Game 151: Toronto 8, Texas 13 (W: Festa, 5-1, L: Nance, 0-2)
Game 152: Toronto 0, Texas 2 (W: Bradford, 6-3, L: Francis, 8-5, Sv: Yates, 31)
Game 153: Toronto 4, Texas 0 (W: Gausman, 13-11, L: Rocker, 0-1)
A final turn for Evo?
The series opener of the final homestand brought what could be Nathan Eovaldi’s final start at Globe Life Field in a Rangers uniform.
Eovaldi, who earned a player option for next season after reaching the 300 innings pitched threshold over the last two seasons with four innings on Tuesday, unfortunately didn’t leave what has been a memorable stint in Texas with his best work.
Uncharacteristically lacking command, Eovaldi got knocked around by Blue Jays bats throughout the evening. All in all, over 4 ⅔ innings, Eovaldi allowed 11 hits and added seven earned runs to his ledger as he couldn’t make it through a final frame with Texas leading 7-3 to qualify for a win.
It was an unceremonious exit for the “bulldog,” who etched his name in franchise lore with his run last October which included winning the clinching game of the World Series. Eovaldi should have another start this year, but it won’t be in front of the home fans.
A bright future
While Eovaldi didn’t leave his final home start on the best note, lefty Cody Bradford continued to make a strong case for landing in the 2025 Opening Day rotation with perhaps his best outing of the year.
One of the hallmarks of good pitchers is their ability to bounce back after a rough start. Coming off an outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks in which he gave up a career-high nine hits and with runs with three homers in just 3 ⅔ innings, the Baylor product came into his final home start with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
Bradford greeted the Blue Jays with four perfect innings out of the gate before finishing with seven scoreless – and it was a good thing too that he was in top shape, as the Texas offense mustered only two runs after a 13-run outburst the night before.
Meanwhile, Kumar Rocker had a rockier home debut but still showed why he’s the team’s top pitching prospect. Still limiting his time on the mound as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, Rocker allowed one earned run (two overall) in three innings of work.
Rocker’s main issue in his second big league outing came via poor command as the right-hander walked four and hit another batter. Those five Blue Jays who reached base on free passes appeared to be a byproduct of Rocker being a bit too amped up and overthrowing.
Regardless, the future of the Rangers’ pitching staff looks to be in good hands, with a couple of potential uncommon homegrown arms.
The big question
One of the biggest strengths on paper for the Rangers was supposed to be their lineup. With very little turnover, 2023’s top-line offense was expected to be a powerhouse in the American League again. What happened over the course of the Blue Jays’ series was a microcosm of what the reality that was this season for the Rangers.
Exploding for 13 runs in the opener, Texas would only score two more runs in the next two games combined – both coming via a two-run homer from Adolis Garcia. Consistency has eluded Texas’ bats all season. The Blue Jays series was no different.
As Texas was shut out in the Thursday afternoon finale, they saw their hopes of claiming the American League West title officially end. Technically, they are still eligible for a Wild Card berth, but they are seven games back with nine to play. Stranger things have happened, but not much stranger.
Which players will you be keeping an eye on as the Rangers close out the 2024 season? Share your thoughts with Matt on Twitter @FisherWritesMLB.
