The Texas Rangers just got clobbered 9-3 by the Houston Astros last night, and yeah, it was brutal. While our Mariners also took a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, this Rangers pitching nightmare means everything for the West as we head into the All-Star Break. The fact is, despite being 1.5 games up on Seattle and guaranteed to hold first place at the break, their pitching staff is showing some serious cracks that we absolutely have to exploit.
The Bullpen Is Bleeding, Big Time
Let's talk about that Rangers pitching, because wow. Kumar Rocker got dinged for a Yordan Alvarez moon shot, which, fine, Alvarez just seems to do that to them. But then Rocker gives up a grand slam to LaMonte Wade Jr.? That's just rough, man. He did make it into the sixth, which I guess is a silver lining so the bullpen didn't have to eat six innings on Saturday. MacKenzie Gore is even starting Sunday's game on short rest, which tells you they're already stretching thin. But the real kicker? Chris Martin, pitching on back-to-back nights, coughed up two runs. He gave up an infield single, a double, there was a balk, and then a sacrifice fly. This guy's ERA is now a nice, round 9.00 on the year. A NINE POINT ZERO. Think about that for a second. Gavin Collyer and Robby Ahlstrom did throw scoreless outings, which is good to see, especially for Ahlstrom after his last two were bad. Collyer's fastball even touched 98.5 mph and Ahlstrom's sinker hit 95.7 mph, so there's heat, but Martin's struggles are a huge red flag for a team leading the division. They gave up two runs in the ninth, mirroring a previous loss where their reliever did the same.Duran's Bombs Can't Hide The Truth
Even with the pitching mess, the Rangers did get some offense going, mainly thanks to Ezequiel Duran. He launched a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run homer in the ninth, bringing his slash line to .272/.322/.439. That fourth-inning homer left the bat at 100.3 mph, too. Evan Carter snagged a couple of hits, and Cam Cauley even got a pinch-hit single. So they aren't totally dead at the plate. But let's be real, those three runs don't erase the fact they got walloped. This 9-3 defeat felt a lot like their middle game loss against the Angels, where their starter also gave up seven runs. Collyer and Ahlstrom even pitched in that one, and they both gave up two runs back then, so at least they showed some progress this time around. Still, the pitching staff's struggles, especially in crucial spots, are undeniable. Alright, so the Mariners lost 6-1 to the Rays and the Rangers are still a game and a half up, guaranteed to be first at the All-Star Break. But they've got one more game to play before then, and seeing their bullpen unravel like this? It gives us hope, Seattle. We know what our Mariners are capable of, and if Texas keeps bleeding runs like this, the second half of the season in the West just got a whole lot more interesting for the Emerald City.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.