Goal is for Beltre to play final three games. After that is anyone’s guess

Only three games to go, not that anyone is counting.

Game 159 featured no Texas Rangers player older than 28-year-old Ryan Rua, three days after Shin-Soo Choo was the only player older than 25.

The kids did pretty well, though old-man Rua sparked their two-run seventh inning with a one-out double and scored as the next batter, Ronald Guzman, delivered an RBI single.

But the youngest player on the field for the Rangers didn’t bat, and he limited the Seattle Mariners’ hitters to only two hits in six innings. Three relievers allowed only another single.

Here’s some Rangers Reaction from a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

1. Adrian Beltre was off for the opener of the Rangers’ season-closing series. Carpal tunnel might have been the reason.

Opposing players, Rangers players and personnel, and charities have flooded Beltre with autograph requests. He’s signing everything, too, because he personifies class.

The plan for Beltre, interim manager Don Wakamatsu play, is to honor whatever he wants to do over the weekend. The plan is to let Beltre serve as the designated hitter Friday and Saturday and perhaps let him start at third Sunday in the finale.

Hip soreness is bugging Beltre, but he wants to play. You know, in case this is the end.

He was asked again Thursday if he’s going to retire, and he again didn’t have an answer. All he has said that is new this week is that he won’t announce anything Sunday and he won’t drag it out the entire off season.

There are three possibilities:

Retire.

Play another season for the Rangers.

Play another season for a contender.

Three former teammates have chimed in anonymously on what they think Beltre will do:

Two said he’s going to retire.

One said he’s going to return.

The two Rangers players who it’s thought would have the most insight, Elvis Andrus and Choo, are saying it’s 50/50 whether Beltre retires.

They might be toeing the Beltre company line, and that’s perfectly fine.

But if anybody is running a pool, put Rangers Reaction down for retires Nov. 13.

2. The Rangers had four right-handed hitters in the lineup, including the switch-hitting Jurickson Profar, against Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales.

The Mariners then went with two lefties out of the bullpen.

The game was scoreless going into the seventh inning.

Gee, I wonder why.

The Rangers were too left-handed offensively, have been too easy to pitch to late in games, and they potentially are losing their biggest right-handed bat to retirement.

They were tamed Wednesday by a left-hander, and didn’t do squat against Gonzales and James Pazos before breaking through for a run against Zack Duke. The Mariners are starting left-handers the next two games.

Things could change if Beltre and Andrus return to the lineup Friday. Profar would likely still be at third base. If Robinson Chirinos were to catch and Delino DeShields to play center field, well, that would make five right hitters.

General manager Jon Daniels has talked about trading away a lefty-hitting corner outfielder this off-season. He needs to look for a righty-hitting infielder who isn’t also their backup catcher.

3. Ariel Jurado finished his season with a bang, delivering the best start of his career. The rookie allowed two singles and no walks, pitched around a Profar throwing error, and needed only 80 pitches to record 18 outs.

After a fairly lousy August and besides his lousy, opener-wrecked outing Sept. 9, Jurado has been much better this month. Once spring training rolls around, he will likely be competing for a rotation spot.

But the best thing for Jurado would be to start next season at Triple A Nashville. He’s still working to develop his off-speed pitches, and in games when he can’t command his sinker, he struggles to survive.

Daniels said on Tuesday that the Rangers will be adding starters this off-season. Mike Minor is the only starter returning, but Edinson Volquez should be ready to go after the second Tommy John surgery of his career. Yohander Mendez is out of options and will serious consideration.

Martin Perez, who starts Friday, could return as a starter, and Adrian Sampson, who starts Saturday, has been pretty competitive in his three September starts.

There’s room, in other words, for Jurado to start the season at Nashville. The Sounds’ rotation could also include Taylor Hearn, Jonathan Hernandez, Joe Palumbo and Chi Chi Gonzalez.

That’s actually not terrible. Inexperienced, even Gonzalez, but not terrible.

It’s actually promising.

This story was originally published September 28, 2018 at 12:31 AM.