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Texas Rangers news
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The gist
The Texas Rangers sit at 71-73 and don't control their own playoff destiny.
With weeks left, their season hinges on a late push and injured stars returning.
Background
The Rangers are in the final month of the 2026 MLB season, sitting at 71-73 and second in the AL West. They recently took a series finale from the Tampa Bay Rays 8-6, powered by Jake Burger's two home runs. With the standings saying they don't control their own destiny, the team faces a short window to decide whether it will play in October.
How it unfolded
- Sep 4, 2026Elias Díaz hits a grand slam in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in Arlington.
- Sep 6, 2026The Rangers beat the Rays 8-6 in the series finale, with Jake Burger hitting two home runs.
- Sep 8, 2026The Rangers begin a series in Seattle against the Mariners, with Cal Quantrill starting against Bryce Miller.
- Sep 9, 2026Jake Burger hits his 26th home run and Corey Seager hits his 17th in the game against the Mariners.
- Sep 10, 2026The Rangers play the final game of their Seattle series, with Jacob deGrom starting against Logan Gilbert.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- Kevin Sherrington writes that the Rangers only have a few weeks left to decide if they're going to be playing next month.
- Analysts
- The Dallas Morning News outlines a five-step plan for the Rangers to make the playoffs.
- Analysts
- ESPN baseball folks make stretch run predictions for how the final month might go.