Rangers close out road trip at the Motor City

[saddles]

If you rank MLB team offenses by OPS then Detroit is 28th and Oakland is 29th. They are 7 points below Detroit, .664 and .657.

The big difference between those two teams is pitching. 19th for Detroit and 30th for Oakland. There is a difference of 2.47 between their team ERA.

 

[TheRangerDude]

Impressive season so far for the Rangers, I guess they really are onto something this season

 

[Nightcrawler]

Detroit 25 wins Oakland 10
don't think so

I’m a big believer in total runs scored and run differential.

Detroit is at 195 total runs and -53 differential

Oakland is at 196 total runs and -194 differential

 

[saddles]

The latest power rankings from The Athletic has the Rangers at #2.

2. Texas Rangers
Record: 33-19
Last Power Ranking: 2

Statistical superlative: .933 OPS with RISP (best in MLB)

These Rangers can really pitch (look at what Nathan Eovaldi is doing) and really hit. They are also really clutch, possibly unsustainably so. Not only do they own the best OPS with runners in scoring position — and currently the second-best ever, behind the 2020 Padres, which sort of doesn’t count — the Rangers also have the best batting average with RISP (.333) and the most runs scored with two outs and RISP (107). We can lose ourselves endlessly in the “does clutch exist?” debate, but it is worth pointing out another thing. The average leverage index of Texas’ at-bats is .80, which is last in the majors. Rangers hitters come up big with guys on, but Texas is so good at scoring runs overall, it’s rare that those at-bats are truly crucial all by themselves.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

The latest power rankings from The Athletic has the Rangers at #2.

2. Texas Rangers
Record: 33-19
Last Power Ranking: 2

Statistical superlative: .933 OPS with RISP (best in MLB)

These Rangers can really pitch (look at what Nathan Eovaldi is doing) and really hit. They are also really clutch, possibly unsustainably so. Not only do they own the best OPS with runners in scoring position — and currently the second-best ever, behind the 2020 Padres, which sort of doesn’t count — the Rangers also have the best batting average with RISP (.333) and the most runs scored with two outs and RISP (107). We can lose ourselves endlessly in the “does clutch exist?” debate, but it is worth pointing out another thing. The average leverage index of Texas’ at-bats is .80, which is last in the majors. Rangers hitters come up big with guys on, but Texas is so good at scoring runs overall, it’s rare that those at-bats are truly crucial all by themselves.

Power Rankings: Top teams solidify spots

MLB.com also has them at #2.

 

[Kelleyman]

The latest power rankings from The Athletic has the Rangers at #2.

2. Texas Rangers
Record: 33-19
Last Power Ranking: 2

Statistical superlative: .933 OPS with RISP (best in MLB)

These Rangers can really pitch (look at what Nathan Eovaldi is doing) and really hit. They are also really clutch, possibly unsustainably so. Not only do they own the best OPS with runners in scoring position — and currently the second-best ever, behind the 2020 Padres, which sort of doesn’t count — the Rangers also have the best batting average with RISP (.333) and the most runs scored with two outs and RISP (107). We can lose ourselves endlessly in the “does clutch exist?” debate, but it is worth pointing out another thing. The average leverage index of Texas’ at-bats is .80, which is last in the majors. Rangers hitters come up big with guys on, but Texas is so good at scoring runs overall, it’s rare that those at-bats are truly crucial all by themselves.

Yeah I guess yuh are considered less clutch when you continue to pile on at two outs and lead increasing

 

[Kelleyman]

Halos will do what it takes to get into playoffs as a show of good faith to Ohtani

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Halos will do what it takes to get into playoffs as a show of good faith to Ohtani

I think he's gone either way.

 

[Kelleyman]

Look at top ERA
This has to count for something.

 

[Kelleyman]

I think he's gone either way.

Hie has not given anything positive verbally about his future there. Yes

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Hie has not given anything positive verbally about his future there. Yes

personally i don't think they are close enough to contention for him to stay for that. and I think the Dodgers or Yankees will make him an offer he can't refuse.

and i don't think he's a trade candidate this summer. it would take an absurd amount of talent to land him, with no guarantee he sticks around.

 

[saddles]

The forgotten prospect.

He did do all of that in Albuquerque so let's see if it continues

Per Scott Lucas:

Number of balls hit at least 425 feet in Round Rock's first 44 games: 7
Number of balls hit at least 425 feet in Round Rock's 6 games at ABQ: 10

 

[saddles]

 

[Kelleyman]

Lol why embrace what the Yanks consider accurs

 

[Kelleyman]

Why you make it hard on your boy!

 

[saddles]

Why you make it hard on your boy!

I sure hope it doesn't rain them out today. Lol

 

[saddles]

I sure hope it doesn't rain them out today. Lol

 

[Kelleyman]

Think you might be on Telpid’s radar

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant:

But let’s talk about that double play. It came with one out and the bases loaded in the second inning. Eovaldi had already gotten one grounder with the bases loaded that first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and catcher Jonah Heim turned into a force at the plate. The Rangers have done this routinely this year, throwing the second most bases-loaded, no-out pitches (46) in the majors. They have allowed one hit.

A little context: The ball came off the bat at 63.5 mph, according to StatCast. The system shows that only five balls hit slower this year have been turned into 6-4-3 double plays.

Quite simply, it’s the kind of play the Rangers didn’t make last year.

The Rangers’ $500 million middle infield struggled with unfamiliarity. They didn’t get much spring training time to work together in 2022. And it showed.

A year ago, the Rangers ranked dead last in a stat Fangraphs calls “Double Plays Runs Saved.” According to the metric, if you buy it, the Rangers lost 6.4 runs on double play situations a year ago. This year: They were 12th in the league entering Monday. And they saved runs Monday.

It extends to the entire infield defense. Josh Jung has been a significant upgrade defensively at third. Lowe has improved at first over last year, though defense remains his biggest flaw. He was out working one-on-one before the game on scoops.

In the overall Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) metric, the Rangers began the day fifth in baseball at +14. The four infield positions accounted for 12 of those 14 saved runs. Only San Diego’s infield (at +15) began the week with more runs saved.