Texas Rangers’ offense had struggled all season. Things were even worse vs. Astros.
The Texas Rangers have to make it only nine more days before they can end their season of quasi-quarantine.
So far, they have done a terrific job avoiding COVID-19.
Two players, Joey Gallo and Brett Martin, caught it during summer camp, and another Luke Farrell, was exposed to it but never tested positive.
There have been no reports of any front-office personnel contracting it either, and that’s notable because they have access to players, coaches and the field.
The media hasn’t been as fortunate. TV analyst C.J. Nitkowski tested positive Thursday, and radio man Matt Hicks was positive earlier in the season.
Rangers fans who watched the telecast Thursday heard Hicks and Hall of Famer Eric Nadel call the game as Fox Sports Southwest picked up the radio feed.
TV play-by-play man Dave Raymond will be back on the call Friday as the Rangers make their only trip to Anaheim.
Their second trip to Houston ended Thursday.
Here’s some Rangers Reaction from a 2-1 loss to the Astros.
Thrown for a curve
The Astros didn’t exactly knock the cover off the ball in taking 2 of 3 games from the Rangers at one of the game’s best hitter’s parks. They were shut out in one of the games, yet still managed more offense than the Rangers.
The Rangers scored 1, 1 and 1 runs. That’s not the kind of consistency they are seeking at the plate.
Left-hander Framber Valdez shut them down Thursday over 6 1/3 innings. He allowed one run, which scored after he exited, and struck out a career-high 11 batters. Each one came on his curveball.
Manager Chris Woodward said the Rangers knew it was his best pitch, but they kept swing at it anyway even when it wasn’t a strike.
“It’s a really tough pitch to hit,” Woodward said. “We helped him too many times. I think that was the biggest thing. He only had a couple where it was looking. The other ones were all in the dirt or balls. We have to do a better job of recognizing that and not allowing that to happen.
“He didn’t do anything we didn’t know he had. We fell right into his trap.”
Some of that can be chalked up to youth and an inability to make the proper adjustments. That doesn’t explain why Joey Gallo was 0 for 2 against Valdez and Rougned Odor was 0 for 3, but it might explain why others with a sliver of their experience did.
Sherten Apostel doubled with one out in the seventh to chase Valdez, and Eli White singled off of Josh James to cut the Astros’ 2-0 lead in half.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, who struck out 15 times in the game, they had met their run quota.
Here’s the catch
Jeff Mathis started at catcher for a second straight game and could keep starting two on and one off as long as Jose Trevino (wrist) is unable to play.
That could change depending on day games after night games and other considerations given to veterans, but it appears Sam Huff won’t be splitting catching duties evenly with Mathis down the stretch.
These could be the final games of Mathis’ career.
He will be a free agent after the season, a 37-year-old free agent at that. His age and his historically poor offensive numbers might keep teams from signing him for what would be his 17th MLB season.
But the Rangers will have the need for a veteran catcher, with Huff expected to open the season in the minors, and Mathis is beloved by his teammates. Trevino, who is in line to be the regular catcher in 2021, loves Mathis and has learned plenty from him.
Lance Lynn prefers throwing to him, and Kyle Gibson leaned on him to make the changes that led to a four-hit shutout Wednesday. What Mathis doesn’t do with the bat he makes up for with the things he does as a catcher and as a teammate.
“Just the influence he is, and the calming influence,” Woodward said. “He’s obviously very educated and very knowledgeable in the game and how to pitch-call and what pitches to throw. Just providing that kind of guidance to those guys, it’s invaluable.”
Mathis said he understands his role that this point in his career. He knows he’s not going to play a whole lot, probably isn’t going to hit a whole lot, but is willing to mentor a whole lot.
The shortened season has helped his body stay fresh, which makes it seem as if a role where he catching once or twice a week would be just right.
Could the Rangers do better? Sure, but there aren’t going to be many veterans who would be much better and as willing to accept the lot that likely awaits him and with the same knowledge and trust of the Rangers’ pitching staff.
Maybe the Rangers could take the same tack they did with former catcher Bobby Wilson. They offered him the manager’s job at Double A Frisco, and he took it rather than play another season.
Mathis said he is interested in becoming a coach.
“Baseball’s all I know,” he said.
It appears there are multiple ways Mathis stays in the organization for 2021.
Lyles’ best
The day after Gibson dialed up his best start of his first season with the Rangers, Jordan Lyles did the same.
He allowed two runs, both on a Kyle Tucker homer, in seven innings. He allowed only three hits and one walk, and struck out only two.
Lyles showed some signs of progress after he had allowed four runs in two innings last weekend against Oakland. He allowed only one run over his final five innings.
“Both Gibby and him, back-to-back nights, there were a lot of things they tried to do,” Woodward said. “He was in complete control. A homer that went two rows deep. It’s a little frustrating because Jordan threw the ball well and he deserved to win.”
Lyles and Gibson will be on the team next season, and Woodward has spoken at length about the need for both right-handers to be consistent contributors behind Lynn and ahead of one or two young pitchers.
They took a step in that direction in Houston.
Lyles still has an eyesore of an ERA, at 7.07. He has dealt with an inability to command his curveball, some control issues, and problems early in his outings. The Rangers wanted him on the attack from pitch one Thursday, and that’s what he did.
That’s what he wants to do the rest of the way, which for him will likely include two more starts.
“This season is what it is,” he said. “I had a rough start from the get-go. I think my last two outings have been decent from getting outs-wise. Then, tonight, we were able to get some quick outs. I don’t know how many more outings I’ve got, but hopefully we can attack ... and head into this off-season with my chin high.”
