53–50.
As the Rangers continue to climb above .500, I’m struck by just how different the vibes are around the team. Two weeks ago, they were 45–48 and coming off a disastrous 11–8 loss to the Angels. The bullpen had just blown a lead, and the wheels—which had been slowly falling off for a little over two months—were on the verge of completely coming loose. It was dire then. Now? Not so much.
Yesterday’s 2–1 win over the A’s completed the three-game sweep. While the offense was, once again, kind of pitiful (save for Corey Seager’s magnificent, majestic, and marvelous solo home run in the top of the third), it was the pitching—and some help from the baseball gods—that gave the Rangers the victory.
Don’t believe me on that last part? Check out this absolutely asinine defensive effort by the A’s that resulted in the winning run coming around to score:
On the pitching side of things, what a revelation Patrick Corbin has been. When that signing was made back in the late stages of spring training, I was under the impression he was just here to give the pitching staff some length and provide innings following the injuries to Jon Gray and Cody Bradford. While that’s definitely what he’s done, he’s actually doing it well. Last night: 5 2/3 innings, five hits, one run, seven strikeouts, zero walks. On the season: 3.78 ERA over 104 2/3 IP. It’s easily his best season since 2019—the year his Washington Nationals won the World Series. A revelation.
