Series Thread: Rangers Travel to Sacramento For Four Games With the Athletics April 13-16

[saddles]

The Rangers continue their west coast road trip with a rare four game series with the A's. The Rangers are currently tied for the division lead with the A's. Some have been predicting the Athletics to do well this season, so this should be an important series.

The Rangers held their own against the Dodgers even though they only won one game in the series. I would think their confidence level should be fairly high.

Both Josh Smith and Josh Jung have been doing better at the plate. Conversely, Seager and Burger have struggled of late, Evan Carter has also done well, of late, though more in terms of slugging percentage and OBP instead of batting average.

It will be interesting to see if Wyatt Langford plays today or if his injury lingers into this series. The Rangers really need him to get healthy if not for any reason other than to get back to a full roster since the team stubbornly refuses to place certain guys on the IL in some cases.

We do seem to have transitioned away from Robert Garcia and Chris Martin as the default co-closers. If that is the case it could help a lot. If that is the case, Skip Schumaker should be commended for not being too stubborn to change his mind. Bochy would still be sending them out there a month from now.

This series will see every Rangers starter, besides deGrom, getting a turn in the rotation. The Athletics will send out 2 RHP and 2 LHP. I guess rhe goal should be to win the series, but that might be difficult in a 4 game series on the road.

 

[Kelleyman]

I wonder if Carter starts all games if Wyatt is out.
Springs in 2Nd game maybe Carter gets that
Just bat him 9 against LHP

Also thinking Wyatt could DH first game back

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I wonder if Carter starts all games if Wyatt is out.
Springs in 2Nd game maybe Carter gets that
Just bat him 9 against LHP

Also thinking Wyatt could DH first game back

Springs is off to a good start.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

A's will be tough. They took 2 out of 3 from the Yankees and Astros and swept the Mets.

 

[Kelleyman]

I bet Evan homers in Sacramento. Maybe Sam H comes back to life
Our pitchers need to keep the ball Dow and lots of swings and misses

 

[saddles]

From Scott Lucas:

Jake Burger had a nice start to the season, but I noticed yesterday that his slash stats are all below his 2025 levels. His walk and strikeout rates are worse as well. He's swinging the usual amount but less frequently at heart-of-zone pitches and more at out-of-zone offerings. 38% of pitches have resulted in a called or swinging strike, the highest in MLB. He's hitting the ball very hard when he makes contact, but that's being swamped by other issues. I guess the question is whether 2026 is a small sample to be judged cautiously or instead a continuation of 2025 to be judged as a whole. (Note: Baseball Reference gives him an inoffensive 98 OPS+, but that's a function of what I think is a cattywampus park adjustment that is grossly overstating Globe Life's pitcher-friendliness.)

Meanwhile, Justin Foscue is doing what he does in AAA, swinging judiciously (albeit with few walks so far), making consistent and firm contact with results dampened by a slight excess of pops and grounders. Foscue is 27, his MLB results to date have been painful, and I'm not willing to say he'd be any better now. Hopefully so, because surely he's better than that, but enough to hang around? Management's actions over the years have always implied he's never had a spot waiting for him, but at the same time, he's never quite forced the issue.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, to be honest, other than to wonder aloud how much time Burger will be given and who might replace him. (This could also be applied to Pederson, but that's for a another day.)

 

[WastinSomeTime]

From Scott Lucas:

Jake Burger had a nice start to the season, but I noticed yesterday that his slash stats are all below his 2025 levels. His walk and strikeout rates are worse as well. He's swinging the usual amount but less frequently at heart-of-zone pitches and more at out-of-zone offerings. 38% of pitches have resulted in a called or swinging strike, the highest in MLB. He's hitting the ball very hard when he makes contact, but that's being swamped by other issues. I guess the question is whether 2026 is a small sample to be judged cautiously or instead a continuation of 2025 to be judged as a whole. (Note: Baseball Reference gives him an inoffensive 98 OPS+, but that's a function of what I think is a cattywampus park adjustment that is grossly overstating Globe Life's pitcher-friendliness.)

Meanwhile, Justin Foscue is doing what he does in AAA, swinging judiciously (albeit with few walks so far), making consistent and firm contact with results dampened by a slight excess of pops and grounders. Foscue is 27, his MLB results to date have been painful, and I'm not willing to say he'd be any better now. Hopefully so, because surely he's better than that, but enough to hang around? Management's actions over the years have always implied he's never had a spot waiting for him, but at the same time, he's never quite forced the issue.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, to be honest, other than to wonder aloud how much time Burger will be given and who might replace him. (This could also be applied to Pederson, but that's for a another day.)

He is right on target on his take with Burger. His eye at the plate went south quick after his good start. I hope he can figure it out but I am beginning to wonder if he can. Even his defense has taken a turn for the worse.

 

[Kelleyman]

Yeah. We need fallbacks in case Burger is let go

from a purist viewpoint I prefer a LH first baseman

 

[Kelleyman]

Wyatt still out

 

[DTLUNA]

Yeah. We need fallbacks in case Burger is let go

from a purist viewpoint I prefer a LH first baseman

Who would be the best AAA candidate?

 

[Kelleyman]

Who would be the best AAA candidate?

Foscue I guess but he may be worse defensively
Zeke can play first. Doubt if either are ideal

I wonder at some point if Nimmo can play 1B

 

[saddles]

If the Rangers draft a 1B in the top 2 rounds in July, he will be our only true 1B prospect.

 

[saddles]

 

[Kelleyman]

If the Rangers draft a 1B in the top 2 rounds in July, he will be our only true 1B prospect.

Does Malcolm Moore play a little 1B
lol

 

[DTLUNA]

If the Rangers draft a 1B in the top 2 rounds in July, he will be our only true 1B prospect.

Doesn't sound real promising but who knows.

 

[DTLUNA]

Seager and Burger really need to pick it up.

 

[fanman8825]

Seager and Burger really need to pick it up.

Looks like we just need to work the count against Severino

 

[DTLUNA]

Looks like we just need to work the count against Severino

And Burger agrees. Wow

 

[fanman8825]

You can see Severino is off and Burger got his pitch. 3-0 good guys

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Nice way to start the game.