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MLB Power Rankings: Two additions make a good Rangers team great
2
It's funny how things work, right? The Shin-Soo Choo injury freed Nomar Mazara and the Rougned Odor punch freed Jurickson Profar.
funny how things work, right? The Shin-Soo Choo injury freed Nomar Mazara and the Rougned Odor punch freed Jurickson Profar. Texas Rangers have made two in-season additions to their ballclub without making a trade and now could possibly emerge as the best team in the American League.
First up, Yu Darvish returned from a year-plus hiatus to rejoin the rotation from Tommy John surgery. He's only made two starts, but he's resembled his old self, coming away with a pair of wins and 12 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings.
Next, Jurickson Profar -- formerly the top prospect in all of baseball who lost almost two years to injury -- was summoned from the minors when Rougned Odor was suspended for his punch of Jose Bautista. All Profar's done so far is hit .380 with two doubles, two triples and two home runs in 50 at-bats. He even got the start at first base on Tuesday, displaying the versatility that enabled the Rangers to play him at four different positions in 2013 when he was only 20 years old. Yes, he's still only 23. Some players aren't even promoted to the bigs until after that, so let's not make the mistake of thinking he's some late bloomer. He's just a talented baseball player who had a significant injury.
This was already a great roster, too. From the veterans with big-time postseason success like Cole Hamels and Adrian Beltre to the young blood of Odor and Nomar Mazara -- who is currently running away with the AL Rookie of the Year award -- there is so much to like here. Shin-Shoo Choo will be back soon to add some depth and maybe Prince Fielder even figures things out and gets hot at some point.
If not, the team still looks great, having won five straight and 14 of their last 17 games. For all of the above reasons, Texas gets the top spot this week among AL teams in the rankings. The Rangers figure to remain in the discussion with the likes of the Red Sox, Orioles and Indians (and Royals? Mariners? White Sox?) for the duration of the season, too.
The one big issue? The bullpen has been terrible so far. Only the Reds have a worse relief pitching ERA and they've been historically bad. The Rangers have blown seven leads, taken 12 bullpen losses and have a 4.97 ERA among relievers.On Tuesday, they allowed one run in two innings to win a one-run game and the ERA actually lowered.
The good news is this is probably the easiest place to improve over the course of the season by trades, simple regression of those already on the team, moving starters back to the 'pen, taking chances on relievers who flamed out with other clubs or just plugging in others from the minors. There's already one great example of the latter in Matt Bush (1.54 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 12 K, 1 BB, 11 2/3 IP since his promotion).
So, yes, I'm betting the bullpen improves. Even if it doesn't, they've been winning plenty of games in spite of it so far.
Jurickson Profar, an answer at first base.
2
It's funny how things work, right? The Shin-Soo Choo injury freed Nomar Mazara and the Rougned Odor punch freed Jurickson Profar.funny how things work, right? The Shin-Soo Choo injury freed Nomar Mazara and the Rougned Odor punch freed Jurickson Profar. Texas Rangers have made two in-season additions to their ballclub without making a trade and now could possibly emerge as the best team in the American League.
First up, Yu Darvish returned from a year-plus hiatus to rejoin the rotation from Tommy John surgery. He's only made two starts, but he's resembled his old self, coming away with a pair of wins and 12 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings.
Next, Jurickson Profar -- formerly the top prospect in all of baseball who lost almost two years to injury -- was summoned from the minors when Rougned Odor was suspended for his punch of Jose Bautista. All Profar's done so far is hit .380 with two doubles, two triples and two home runs in 50 at-bats. He even got the start at first base on Tuesday, displaying the versatility that enabled the Rangers to play him at four different positions in 2013 when he was only 20 years old. Yes, he's still only 23. Some players aren't even promoted to the bigs until after that, so let's not make the mistake of thinking he's some late bloomer. He's just a talented baseball player who had a significant injury.
This was already a great roster, too. From the veterans with big-time postseason success like Cole Hamels and Adrian Beltre to the young blood of Odor and Nomar Mazara -- who is currently running away with the AL Rookie of the Year award -- there is so much to like here. Shin-Shoo Choo will be back soon to add some depth and maybe Prince Fielder even figures things out and gets hot at some point.
If not, the team still looks great, having won five straight and 14 of their last 17 games. For all of the above reasons, Texas gets the top spot this week among AL teams in the rankings. The Rangers figure to remain in the discussion with the likes of the Red Sox, Orioles and Indians (and Royals? Mariners? White Sox?) for the duration of the season, too.
The one big issue? The bullpen has been terrible so far. Only the Reds have a worse relief pitching ERA and they've been historically bad. The Rangers have blown seven leads, taken 12 bullpen losses and have a 4.97 ERA among relievers.On Tuesday, they allowed one run in two innings to win a one-run game and the ERA actually lowered.
The good news is this is probably the easiest place to improve over the course of the season by trades, simple regression of those already on the team, moving starters back to the 'pen, taking chances on relievers who flamed out with other clubs or just plugging in others from the minors. There's already one great example of the latter in Matt Bush (1.54 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 12 K, 1 BB, 11 2/3 IP since his promotion).
So, yes, I'm betting the bullpen improves. Even if it doesn't, they've been winning plenty of games in spite of it so far.
Jurickson Profar, an answer at first base.
