ARLINGTON -- The Rangers know they need to win more than they lose over the next five weeks if they want to be seeing October baseball.
Despite the record -- which now sits at one game below .500 -- and some of the frustrations of the last week, the Rangers are right in the thick of the postseason picture in the American League.
The Rangers beat the Angels, 5-3, on Sunday afternoon at Globe Life Field, taking the series and securing a much-needed winning homestand as the fight for the AL West continues.
“Could we have played better? Of course,” Schumaker said of the homestand. “I think anybody would say that in that clubhouse. However, the goal is to win each series, and we did that. Obviously today was a big game. I'm proud of the guys to come through and win both series.”
Here are some takeaways from the Rangers’ 4-2 homestand against the Nationals and Angels:
Rotation carried
Cal Quantrill opened Sunday’s win with six scoreless innings against the Angels, who scattered six hits throughout the afternoon. Quantrill’s ERA is now down to 2.90 after five straight starts of five or more innings with one or zero earned runs.
While the Rangers' offense has faltered for much of the homestand, the starting pitching has kept them in every game. Texas starters have permitted three or fewer runs in a season-high 13 straight games dating back to Aug. 10.
This homestand, the starters went 3-2 with a 1.02 ERA, holding opponents to a .198/.222/.298/.520 slash line with just three walks compared to 34 strikeouts. Per TruMedia, the 1.02 ERA is the lowest mark for a Rangers rotation in a single homestand of six or more games in club history.
“It’s an interesting staff where there's a lot of guys who have accomplished their career,” Quantrill said. “I don't think it's necessarily a competition. It's almost more like ‘Wow, that's what he did, I'd like to try and do that as well.’ I think we've got a wealth of knowledge in our two true veteran starters [Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi], and then we've got a ton of talent in the younger guys. You just pick a little bit from each guy, and you try and build on what the last guy did to the best of our ability.”
Offense gets a win, but they still need to sustain it
Speaking of offense, the Rangers have desperately needed some of it over the last week. Entering the day, Texas had scored two or fewer runs in four straight games, as well as five of their last six and eight of their last 12.
In Sunday’s win, Ezequiel Duran and Elias Díaz provided solo homers to help power the offense to five runs on eight hits. They went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position, but lifted multiple sacrifice flies for just the third time this season.
“I wish I could tell you the messaging was different or the work was different,” Schumaker said. “I think the guys just swung at strikes and didn't chase a ton today. The middle of the order was really good. [Corey] Seager and Wyatt [Langford] were fantastic today, but the bottom of the order really helped out as well. I think that's the main difference. We just didn't rely on the top. I think it was just up and down the lineup.”
Duran’s versatility
The Rangers’ super-utility star made his first career start in center field on Sunday and has now started at every position besides pitcher and catcher this season: 46 at shortstop, 30 at third base, 21 at second base, nine in left field, seven in right field and one at first base. He shifted to third base in the eighth inning, becoming the first Ranger to play center field and third base in the same game since Drew Robinson on April 10, 2018.
“In my opinion, Zeke's an everyday player,” Schumaker said. “Can I tell you where he's going to play? No, but I think he gives us the best chance to win every single day. He has proven that. He has earned that. Whatever position he's in, we are comfortable with it. You've seen the defensive alignments. You've also seen the offensive construction. He does a really good job of providing a spark every single day. I'll take my chance from Zeke every day.”