Here’s why Rangers’ offense is clicking the best it has since 2016

The box score from the Texas Rangers’ game Friday night will show something pretty stunning. Actually, two things.

Carlos Tocci collected three hits, and his batting average is above .200.

(Please don’t spit out your coffee in disbelief after reading that.)

Consistent playing time helps even the most Carlos Tocci of hitters, and he has received that with Delino DeShields battling a demotion, a series of migraines and, now, a broken middle finger.

But just the tip.

DeShields should still be the choice in center field when healthy, which he should be by Sept. 1, and he suggested that his mind will also be healthy entering the off-season and spring training.

“There’s still a lot of year left,” he said. “I feel like how I finish will definitely have some impact on how I go into the off-season.”

But like he said, there’s still a lot of year left, 37 games to be exact.

Here’s some Rangers Reaction from Friday and game No. 124, a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

1. The Rangers won a game without connecting for a home run, which always pleases the manager. Offenses need to be diverse, and the Rangers scored runs on a double, a ground out, a single and a sacrifice fly.

Elvis Andrus was the only player who didn’t have a hit or score a run, but he and the other eight hitters all managed to reach base at least once. That’s something else the manager likes, production from up and down the lineup.

Rougned Odor, batting second, drove in three runs. Joey Gallo, batting sixth, had a two-run double, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with the RBI grounder. Tocci’s three singles came from the No. 9 hole.

The offense continues to be the club’s strength in the second half, and it might be the best the lineup has clicked since 2016.

“For sure,” manager Jeff Banister said.

In 27 games since the All-Star break, the Rangers lead MLB with 176 runs, 6.52 runs per game and 44 home runs. They have started to hit with runners in scoring position, going 3 for 6 on Friday, and for the season are among the American League leaders in walks (second) and runs (fifth).

Yes, they still lead baseball in strikeouts, but there have been signs of improvement. Banister credited the players, naturally, but threw a lot of love at hitting coaches Anthony Iapoce and Justin Mashore.

“Our two hitting coaches are just constantly talking the message of grinding at-bats out, being able to keep the ball in the middle of the field, to draw walks, to create run-scoring opportunities, hitting behind runners, drive the ball in the gaps, and when then home runs come, we capitalize,” Banister said. “With Iapoce and Mashore doing the work in the cage with mind-set and keeping them engaged, they’re doing a tremendous job.”

Individually, Odor is batting more than .330 in the second half, and Gallo is above .300 in August. Elvis Andrus is also over .300 his past 26 games, and Profar is above .290 the past 36 games.

Odor said that Iapoce and Mashore have preached the idea of situational hitting in the past, but now the hitters are clicking collectively.

“We’re feeling good right now,” Odor said. “We’ve been hitting together as a team and getting better. We try to move the runner, drive him in and take good at-bats and be on the same page. When we play together, good things happen.”

2. Martin Perez will be the Rangers’ starting pitcher Saturday after Banister flirted with the concept of “The Opener.” He’s going to use a reliever to start a game at some point, but bullpen usage Friday would have made it tough on the rest of the bullpen Saturday.

The idea is gaining support after the success the Tampa Bay Rays have had with it, and it’s not a difficult concept to grasp. As Banister explained, a reliever takes on the top of the order to start a game, and the starter follows without having to go through the opponent’s best hitters more than twice.

Also, the Rangers’ first-inning ERA is 5.52, so there is merit to trying to use a reliever early.

Banister said that there are multiple starters who might benefit from “The Opener,” and Perez has been struggling in first innings. Would his first-inning woes then become second-inning woes? Maybe, though he would be facing an different set of hitters.

Another point Banister made is that baseball theory is changing and the changes are worth exploring. All teams shift now, for instance, and some teams place a focus on stats like exit velocity and spin rate to build their lineups and pitching staffs.

Banister and the Rangers have titled toward analytics since he his first season. It’s not going to stop now, especially as the rebuilding Rangers look for ways to improve.

The Opener is coming at some point before the season ends.

3. Drew Hutchinson’s third start with the Rangers was his best, as he allowed two runs in five innings. He had what appears to be a common bout with his control, but he pitched well, allowing two runs on only 79 pitches.

He also did it in a pinch, learning only Thursday that he was moving up a day in to accommodate Mike Minor’s stiff back.

Ordinarily, that kind of efficiency would earn a starter another inning, but these aren’t ordinary times for the Rangers as they try to evaluate pitchers for future seasons. Enter Jeffrey Springs.

The rookie left-hander allowed two runs in one-plus innings against a lineup full of right-handed hitters. He was allowed to start the seventh, and walked the only left-hander he faced (Kole Calhoun).

Springs allowed a homer to a lefty hitter in his last outing. If he’s going to make the team next season, he must be able to get lefty hitters out.

The Rangers have a decent crop of lefties, including a couple in the minors. Alex Claudio will be back for 2019, and Springs, Brady Feigl, C.D. Pelham and Brandon Mann could all compete for the Opening Day roster next spring.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see a couple of them in September.

This story was originally published August 17, 2018 at 11:17 PM.