Texas Rangers lose eighth straight and fail to do this for the first time in 29 years
The Texas Rangers couldn’t put an end to their losing ways Sunday afternoon, dropping an eighth straight game during a part of the schedule that wasn’t supposed to be this difficult.
Now, their schedule is about to get really tough.
Yikes.
Mike Minor surrendered three home runs in four innings Sunday, and Justin Dunn allowed only one hit in six scoreless innings as Seattle Mariners extended the Rangers’ misery with a 4-1 victory.
The Rangers posted their first winless road trip of at least five games since 1991. Next up is a seven-game homestand against the Oakland A’s, leaders of the American League West, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the best record in baseball.
The Rangers were 10-9 on Aug. 15 and postseason contender. Now, they they will now be considered sellers at the Aug. 31 trade deadline.
In a season shortened to 60 games, things can change that quickly.
“It is stunning,” manager Chris Woodward said. “We were 10-9 not too long ago, and then we lose eight in a row. It is what it is, though. We are where we are. We can’t change that. All I know is we have to prepare for Oakland and come out and try to beat them tomorrow.”
The Rangers last lost eight in a row in July 2019, when they also went from pretenders to deadline sellers. They didn’t trade their most valuable commodity, Minor, but sent reliever Chris Martin to Atlanta for left-hander Kolby Allard.
They held onto Minor because they believed they would be contenders in 2020, and that could be the reason why they wouldn’t deal away their best commodity this season, right-hander Lance Lynn. He will pitch Monday.
The Rangers, though, seem to have taken a step back from last season.
They have allowed 65 runs during the losing streak, and the offense continues to be ravished by inconsistency. Dunn retired the first 11 hitters Sunday, and the Rangers didn’t have a hit until Isiah Kiner-Falefa connected for a one-out double in the fifth.
The Rangers finished with three hits, including an eighth-inning home run by Jeff Mathis to prevent a shutout.
Minor, meanwhile, allowed a two-out solo homer in the first to Kyle Lewis, and Austin Nola started the second with a home run. Sam Haggerty hit a two-run homer with two outs in the fifth.
“The hits I gave up were long,” Minor said. “That’s what hurt me. That’s what stung.”
