Rangers to begin title defense vs. Cubs in Opening Night tilt on ESPN

When the defending World Series champion Rangers open their 2024 season, they’ll do so in front of a national audience.

The Rangers’ Opening Day contest against the Cubs on March 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT will air exclusively on ESPN, the network announced on Monday. Karl Ravech, David Cone, Eduardo Pérez and Buster Olney will have the call from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Additionally, ESPN Baseball Tonight will air the Rangers’ World Series championship pregame celebration during its hourlong show, which begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT.

Rangers take out D-backs for franchise’s 1st World Series title

The Texas Rangers spent seven months of this season terrorizing opponents with a menacing offense that feasted on home runs and hardly ever let up. The first night of November showcased the other aspects that make them dominant—gritty starting pitching, sound defense and a lineup versatile enough to manufacture runs when needed.

It sealed them a title.

The Rangers defeated the upstart, underdog Arizona Diamondbacks in front of a soldout Chase Field crowd, 5-0, in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday, clinching the first championship in the 62-year history of their franchise. Nathan Eovaldi continually weaved out of trouble, somehow matching a dominant Zac Gallen through six scoreless innings, and the Rangers’ offense finally came through late, producing a run in the seventh and exploding for four of them in the ninth.

The greatest postseason in Rangers history finished with an 11th consecutive road victory. No team had ever won more than eight in a row in the playoffs.

Adolis Garcia, Rangers cruise past Astros, win ALCS

Adolis Garcia admired, flaunted and celebrated. He flung his bat and roared towards his own dugout and cupped his hands around his ears, seemingly basking in every moment that Game 7 of this American League Championship Series provided. At one point, as the Texas Rangers kept piling on runs and the home crowd grew increasingly more distraught, he even heard faint “MVP” chants.

They were prophetic.

The Rangers raced past the defending-champion Houston Astros in their own building on Monday night, capturing a 11-4 victory to punch their ticket to the World Series. And Garcia—the man who triggered a benches-clearing incident during a controversial hit by pitch in Game 5, then provided the devastating blow with a prodigious grand slam in Game 6—had his fingerprints all over it, solidifying MVP honors after a dynamic ALCS performance.

Garcia lined a Cristian Javier offering off the top of the left-field scoreboard in the first, settled for a single because he admired it too long, then promptly stole second base. In the third, he lofted a fly ball over the right field fence to give the Rangers their fourth run. In the fourth, he provided the two-run single that highlighted a four-run inning and helped turn Game 7 into a laugher. And in the eighth, he unleashed a towering fly ball that sailed into the Crawford Boxes and essentially ended the Astros.

Seager makes playoff history with bat on his shoulder

The Rangers made a lot of noise with their bats on Sunday evening, putting up 11 runs on 11 hits amid an offensive outburst during an 11-8 win over Baltimore in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.

They made less noise but were equally impactful on the basepaths, drawing 11 walks off the Orioles’ carousel of pitchers.

That part wasn’t as much of a team effort, though, as Corey Seager provided nearly half of them. The Rangers shortstop became the first player to tally five walks in a postseason game in AL/NL history.

“A great job from him,” said manager Bruce Bochy. “He’s not expanding [the zone]. … He’s getting on base. That’s what you’re trying to do: Get guys on base, put pressure on them.”

Max Scherzer to miss rest of regular season with shoulder muscle strain

Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer will miss the rest of the regular season because of a strained muscle in his shoulder, the team announced Wednesday.

Rangers general manager Chris Young said it was unlikely Scherzer would be able to pitch in the postseason if Texas qualifies.

Scherzer has a strained teres major, a muscle that connects the scapula to the humerus.

Four reasons behind the Texas Rangers’ late-season collapse that has them outside the playoff bracket

1. The bullpen has been a disaster

Disaster is a strong word but it is appropriate here. The Rangers held a lead in eight of the 15 losses during this 4-15 stretch. Four times they had a lead in the seventh inning or later and four times they blew a lead of at least three runs, including in three straight games at one point. In two of the four wins, the Rangers blew a lead in the sixth inning or later, and had to come back.

Turn even four of those eight leads into wins, and we’re talking about a tolerable 8-11 stretch and the Rangers being in a wild-card spot, rather than a disastrous 4-15 stretch that has them on the outside of the playoff bracket. The bullpen has been a liability all year and it has been especially bad in the second half…

Meltdowns are a fun little stat based on win probability. A meltdown is a relief appearance that decreases the team’s win probability at least 6%. In the first half, the Rangers were middle of the pack in meltdowns, which is neither good nor bad. In the second half though, they have the seventh most meltdowns, stacking up costly relief appearances that typically blow games.

Speakeasies, Golf and a Pool: 5 Baseball Parks That Go Beyond Baseball - NO PAYWALL

Like at every noteworthy speakeasy, it started with a knock.

After Chad Thompson and his wife, Kitty, found the secret door in an unassuming section of Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, they faced one more test that day in June before securing access to perhaps Major League Baseball’s most exclusive new fan experience. They needed to recite the correct password. It had three words.

“Let’s go Mets,” Mr. Thompson, a resident of Manhattan, told the guard.

The couple walked into the Cadillac Club to catch a game between the Mets and their crosstown rival Yankees. Once inside, the Thompsons snacked on bacon-wrapped dates and complimentary glasses of prosecco and Glenfiddich 15-Year-Old Solera Reserve. They sat in plush brown leather seats with personal TVs attached, where they were served Shake Shack burgers and Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars.

ESPN Insider: How the Rangers went all-in—and ignited an AL arms race in the process

Everything had lined up right. Last year’s free agent signings, Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, were in their primes, others on the team in the midst of career years. Three-time World Series-winning manager Bruce Bochy had come out of retirement to shepherd the Rangers. Yet on Saturday night, four days ahead of the 2023 deadline, as bright as their future suddenly looked, they couldn’t gaze into the distance. Right in front of them was a window, wide open.

“If we’re not going for it now,” Rangers general manager Chris Young said, “when would we?”..

Later that day, when the Mets traded reliever David Robertson to the Miami Marlins, Scherzer sought a meeting with Cohen for clarity about the team’s plans going forward. On July 28, Cohen informed him the team was not planning a free agent spending spree this winter—certainly, nothing like the $498.1 million they guaranteed in the 2022-23 offseason—and was targeting 2025 as the beginning of its next window. At that point, Scherzer decided he would not stand in the way of a deal that landed him in a desirable spot.

Rangers get closer Aroldis Chapman in trade with Royals

The Texas Rangers, who have emerged as one of the most dominant teams in the majors this season, pulled off the first major trade of the summer on Friday, snagging perennial All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman from the Kansas City Royals.

Cole Ragans, a 25-year-old starting pitcher, and Roni Cabrera, a 17-year-old outfielder, were acquired from the Royals in exchange.

Chapman, a free agent at season’s end, will join fellow lefty Will Smith and right-hander Josh Sborz in the back end of the Rangers’ bullpen, forming a devastating mix late in games. The Rangers’ bullpen ranks 24th in the majors in ERA, but Smith and Sborz have combined for a 2.71 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 4.59 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Bruce Bochy ‘dumbfounded’ as overturned call costs Rangers

Andrus tied the score with a single off Grant Anderson that plated two runs with two outs. Remillard followed with a line drive to left field, and Andrus was initially called out at the plate by umpire D.J. Reyburn on Travis Jankowski’s throw.

Bochy was ejected after the call was overturned, because catcher Jonah Heim was ruled to have blocked the plate illegally. Bochy was booted for the 80th time in his career.

“For that call to be made, I’m dumbfounded,” Bochy said. “It’s absolutely one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen, and it was done by replay. I just don’t get it. I don’t care how many times they’ll try to explain it. You can’t do that in that situation. It’s a shame. It’s embarrassing, really.

“There was never any contact with the catcher. It was a sweep tag. I don’t get it. I really don’t. Again, I’m shocked. Jonah did a great job there. The throw took him to the left a little bit, sweep tag. I’m lost on this one. That’s a tough one to take.”

The call on the field was an out, but the Rangers gave up the go-ahead run because Jonah Heim was called for blocking the plate after review.

This turned out to be the game-winning run pic.twitter.com/xO97bs5pTw

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 21, 2023

The Texas Rangers are MLB’s only team without a Pride Night. That’s unlikely to change

The Rangers, asked a half-dozen questions in an email – including what message the absence of a Pride Night sends to fans and to their own employees who are part of or active allies for the LGBTQ+ community – responded with the following statement:

“Our commitment is to make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball. That means in our ballpark, at every game, and in all we do – for both our fans and our employees. We deliver on that promise across our many programs to have a positive impact across our entire community.”

The statement is the same one that has been provided to multiple media outlets this year. The team added that it was a sponsor of the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series, which took place in Dallas in 2022, and said it is working on a list of other inclusion initiatives, including anti-bullying and anti-harassment ones. None specifically mentioned the LGBTQ+ community.

“(The silence) is deafening,” said a former employee who was with the organization for roughly a decade. “The fact of the matter is it’s a free marketing opportunity, it doesn’t cost them anything personally and they can boost revenue by looking inclusive. The fact that there hasn’t been one (for Texas), is the biggest ‘actions speak louder than words’ I’ve ever seen.”...

“When you have someone so opposed at the top,” said a current Rangers employee who identifies as gay, “it creates this spillover effect that, even though most of the organization I think wants it to happen, or at least isn’t vehemently opposed to it, it’s just this dark cloud that’s signifying it’s OK to treat this group of people like s—.”

Rangers ace Jacob deGrom needs Tommy John surgery, will miss rest of 2023 season

Off to the best start in team history, a postseason appearance becomes a more and more realistic probability for the Rangers. That vision, however, no longer includes expected ace Jacob deGrom. At least not for this year.

A follow-up MRI Tuesday confirmed the Rangers’ worst fears about deGrom’s troublesome elbow: There is a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament. He will require Tommy John surgery and will be out until at least until the middle of 2024.

It will extend deGrom’s long stretch of seasons interrupted by injuries to four. He pitched only 92 innings in 2021 with the Mets due to right forearm tightness and only 64 innings last season due to a stress reaction in his right scapula. He has pitched just 30.1 innings in six starts this season for the Rangers after signing a five-year, $185 million contract in November.

Rangers place Jacob deGrom on 60-day IL

DeGrom had already been on the 15-day IL since April 29 with right elbow inflammation. The move means the first day he will be eligible to return is June 28. GM Chris Young couldn’t say that deGrom had a setback in his recovery from the injury, but nor could he say eliminate that. The Rangers will do a second MRI on his elbow on Tuesday to get a better idea.
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“I believe he’s the best pitcher in the world when he’s healthy,” Young said. “When he’s on the mound, it’s just captivating. But we want to proceed cautiously and do what’s right by him. That’s the biggest factor in this move. We want to make sure the inflammation is gone. The [symptoms] have come and gone. He’s had good days and bad. It’s not been linear.”

Jim Kaat: Will we finally get The Real Deal?

Kaat Said: Orientalism.

A couple of short stories about Asian pitchers and Irabu: I was announcing Yankee games in the mid-90s when I said over the air, “I wonder if we’ll ever see an Oriental position player in the Major Leagues?” Dion James was playing for the Yankees at the time, and told me about an exciting 19-year old named Ichiro Suzuki who had a chance to be the first. We all know that story. Big fan of Bernie Williams from watching Yankee games in Japan. Wears number 51 because of that.

So, I get a letter about a week later from an Asian baseball fan. Not a malicious letter but scolding me gently for referring to Asian players as “Oriental.” He said, “Noodles and rugs are Oriental, not people. We are Asians.” Fortunately for me, he put his phone number in the letter, so I called him.

We had a pleasant conversation and I told him I certainly didn’t intentionally say “Oriental’ as a slur or condescending remark. It was said innocently out of ignorance. He understood. I asked him if he would be watching the next game we televised. He said he would. He was a huge baseball fan and was complimentary of our telecasts on the MSG Network. I asked if he would please watch and listen in the top of the 4th inning. He said he would.  I took the opportunity to clear up the Oriental/Asian situation.

...So, I’lll be keeping a close eye on Yu Darvish and see if he is finally the one to be able to challenge and dominate our bigger, more powerful big league hitters. For his and the Rangers’ sake, I hope he does. It will be good for the game and the Rangers profit and loss statement!

Fox: Morosi: Darvish, Texas agree to six-year deal

Apparently there’s an opt-out for Darvish after the fifth season.  All seems fair enough.

The Texas Rangers and Japanese pitching star Yu Darvish have agreed on a six-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.

The deal is worth close to $60 million, one major-league source confirmed to FOXSports.com. It does not include deferred money.

National writer: If Rangers sign Prince Fielder, he’d be best hitter in baseball ‘by a mile’

Bob Nightengale force wind warning!

USA Today baseball writer Bob Nightengale joined KESN-FM’s Galloway & Co. last week to discuss the Rangers’ meeting with Prince Fielder. Here are some highlights:

On who will sign Prince Fielder:

I think Texas. Texas has never gone away from this thing. I think they want to put a stranglehold on the division and what the Angels just did with C.J. Wilson and Pujols, they answer back with this and once again they’re the favorites and could be the favorites for a long time. And I think if you sign Prince Fielder, you’re guaranteed to get three million fans, as well.

On how good Fielder could be with the Rangers:

The sky’s the limit. I think a minimum of 50 or 60 home runs. Not just in that ballpark, but with the protection in that lineup, surrounded by everybody. And you’ve got money coming off the books too, so it’s really going to help the Rangers when you’ve got Young coming off the books and those types of guys. But I think by pure numbers, he’d be the number one hitter in all of baseball by a mile. I think he would be Juan Gonzalez all over again.

MLB Trade Rumors: Bartolo Colon Agrees to Sign With Unknown Team

Bartolo Colon has agreed to a deal with an unknown club reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). The right-hander wouldn’t divulge the team because he has not yet passed his physical.

Pretty sure it’s either the All-Stars or the Champs.

How The Greg Reynolds Trade Is More Interesting Than You Think

How could it possibly be more interesting?

We’ll begin with the biggie. Reynolds, of course, was selected second overall by the Rockies in 2006. He was selected right after Luke Hochevar, and right before Evan Longoria. The Rockies’ selection of Reynolds was thought to be a reach, and it took the Rays by surprise. The Rays had another plan, assuming the Rockies would take Longoria. That plan? Andrew Friedman:

We had Evan Longoria first on our board…We thought Longoria was going to go two to Colorado, and we had cut a deal with Tim Lincecum, to take three….

Reynolds’ failures were magnified because the Rockies nearly drafted Long Beach State third baseman Evan Longoria before turning to the Stanford pitcher. At the time, the Rockies felt starting pitching was more of a priority with Garrett Atkins and [Ian] Stewart both in the fold.

Jayson Stark (ESPN): Strange stuff … in the 2011 postseason

The postseason edition of trivia and oddbits that Jayson Stark excels at collecting and presenting…

Here’s one I didn’t know:

All four teams that advanced to the LCS—the Cardinals, Brewers, Rangers and Tigers—got outscored by the teams they played in the Division Series … and won.

ESPN: Yorvit Torrealba suspended in Venezuela

Texas Rangers backup catcher Yorvit Torrealba has been suspended 66 games by the Venezuelan League for striking an umpire, league president Jose Grasso Vecchio announced Monday morning on Twitter.

The suspension covers the rest of this season and all of next season in the Venezuelan League. Penalties in winter ball do not carry over to Major League Baseball.

Have to think MLB or the Rangers will take some action, too.

Yahoo: Passan: Rangers win bidding for Yu Darvish

The Texas Rangers won the rights to negotiate with star Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish by placing a record $51.7 million bid in a posting auction, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Darvish’s team in Japan, the Nippon Ham Fighters, will accept the bid, which means the Rangers have 30 days to negotiate a contract with Darvish. If they cannot work out a deal, Darvish would return to Japan for the 2012 season and the Rangers would be refunded the posting fee.

Boston Red Sox - Red Sox have more competition than ever - The Boston Globe

This week’s Boston Globe Sunday baseball column.

Yahoo Sports: Passan: Darvish bidding process is a cloak and dagger affair

The deadline for bids on Darvish is today at 5 pm (eastern time).  Passan makes the whole process sound like executives have spent several years in Australia bulding up an immunity to iocane powder just for this moment.

The Texas Rangers, for example, have told rivals they’re cash-poor this offseason. A TV deal that will net them $80 million annually doesn’t kick in until 2015. The purchase price of the team for the ownership group – jacked up in an auction by Mark Cuban – wound up tens of millions of dollars higher than expected and sucked up the $90 million signing bonus Fox Sports delivered. And the TV contract itself wasn’t nearly as lucrative as Chuck Greenberg, the club’s deposed CEO, purported it to be.

To which one GM said: “Yeah, right.”

And another executive said: “They’re sandbagging.”

BBTIA: Matschulat: Ian Kinsler’s Next Big Deal

The liberation of Arlington begins now! (oh…wait)

Said Kinsler of his situation: “I want to stay here. I was drafted by the Rangers, and I want to be a Ranger. You never know how long it’s going to take. I think the sooner the better for them, and the sooner the better for me.”

For all of the misled—though slowly disappearing—carping about Kinsler popping up too often and being a terrible baserunner and exhibiting bad body language and (my personal favorite) “not being a team player,” he’s quietly developed into one of the better second basemen of our generation, and could very easily be argued to be one of the three best second basemen in the game at the moment. Only two other second basemen—Chase Utley (25.9 fWAR) and Dustin Pedroia (23.0 fWAR)—have produced more wins above replacement by FanGraphs’ calculations from 2008-present than Kinsler’s 20.8 fWAR ... and by Baseball Reference’s reckoning, Kinsler has produced one of the best age 26-29 windows of any second baseman in baseball history…

...If you pointed a gun to my head right now and demanded that I tell you what I thought a reasonable deal might look like, I’d probably suggest tacking three years onto Kinsler’s existing deal at an average annual value of $17 million, which would handsomely compensate Kinsler while concurrently giving Texas a solid chance of earning some surplus value and, in effect, coming out “ahead” on the deal. Over the last 72 hours, though, I’ve found that my own definition of “reasonable” has been very much at odds with the Rangers’ definition, so perhaps I’m just barking up the wrong tree.

LA Times: Angels, Fox to sign 20-year, $3 billion deal

The Angels have agreed to a new deal with Fox Sports worth at least $3 billion and expected to cover 20 years, two parties familiar with the deal said Thursday. The parties declined to be identified because the deal has yet to be officially announced.

Spokesmen for Fox and the Angels declined to comment.

Moreno last year opted out of a 10-year, $500-million contract with Fox, according to sports media consultant and former NBA TV President Ed Desser.

Desser, testifying Thursday in the Dodgers’ bankruptcy case, said the Angels and Fox agreed at the time to a one-year extension while the parties negotiated a new deal.
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The Rangers agreed with Fox last year on a new contract worth an average of $80 million per year. The Angels’ deal is expected to top that in average annual rights fees — the rejected Dodgers’ deal had an average annual rights fee of about $85 million — and include an ownership stake in FSW.

The timing of this with the Pujols signing is curious.  I wonder if Arte prodded Fox into upping the rights fees once he had Pujols in the fold.  This would be much cooler if Fox was paying for an investment in the team, than Arte taking his windfall and turning around and spending it.