The Texas Rangers head into Monday’s off day with a 3-5 record after losing two out of three to the San Francisco Giants over the weekend. In this 60 game sprint, most teams will be unable to run away from the competition so the Rangers sit just a game and a half out of first place through the first week and a half.

They will get to face one of the first place teams starting Tuesday night when they start their three game series with the division rival Oakland A’s. Lance Lynn will take the mound for the third time this season against Jesús Luzardo on Tuesday. 

STOCK UP 

Joey Gallo 

Over the past 7 games, Gallo is 9 of 25(.360) with three home runs and 8 runs batted in. He added in six walks and two stolen bases in that same time frame. The timing of the last two home runs has been the most impressive thing for me. Last Wednesday with the Rangers riding a three game losing streak and the team trailing 4-2 in the 8th inning after the bullpen blew a 2-0 lead, Gallo hit a game-tying two run homer after an Odor walk. The Rangers went on to win the game 7-4. 

Then on Sunday in San Francisco with the team up 6-5 after blowing a 5-1 lead and the team losing the first two games in the series against the Giants, Gallo came up with two on and one out and hit a 3-run HR to put the team up 9-5. Manager Chris Woodward said after the game that Gallo is “by far the best player on the field every time he steps out.” 

From John Blake: Gallo’s 3 HRs on the season have all come against LHP and he now has 26 HRs against LHP since the start of 2018, 2 more than any other player in baseball. 

Early offense 

The Rangers as a team are 22nd in runs scored, home runs, on base percentage and 25th in OPS. Early offense may seem like a minor thing because the Rangers didn’t do much scoring after jumping out to an early lead on Friday and Saturday but I took it as a positive sign that consistency may be on the way. The team scored a season high 9 runs on Sunday.

STOCK DOWN

Injury bug 

The Rangers playoff hopes took a major hit last Sunday when Kluber was only able to complete one inning in his Rangers debut after suffering a grade 2 tear of teres major muscle in shoulder. He was shut down for at least 4 weeks and GM Jon Daniels said best case scenario for him would be for him to come back and pitch out of the bullpen later in the season. Rangers closer Jose Leclerc suffered the same injury later in the week and was also shut down. 

The injuries didn’t stop with pitching. Danny Santana was placed on the IL before Sunday’s game(retroactive to July 30) due to a right forearm strain. Rougned Odor left Saturdays game with tightness to his oblique. The Rangers are hoping he avoids the IL. 

Jordan Lyles 

Jordan Lyles started the season off in the bullpen because of the Rangers’ unusual amount of off days. Now with Kluber out, Lyles made his first start as a Ranger on Saturday. He pitched four innings giving up 4 earned runs while walking 5 and only striking out one batter. With the Rangers only having two more off days this season, the Rangers will have to go to their five man rotation which means Lyles will need to be much better going forward.