Playoff Odds for Texas Rangers Take Big Hit With Losing Streak

The Texas Rangers' chances of winning the American League West and reaching the playoffs took a tumble over the weekend.

How fickle are the odds of making the playoffs with each passing day?

Well, the Texas Rangers have seen their chances of going to the postseason drop a whopping 12% thanks to their current four-game losing streak.

Less than a week ago, the Rangers were 72-48 and cruising in August with a 12-2 record. The chances of Texas ending its six-year playoff drought were a healthy 95.1%, according to FanGraphs. The Rangers also had 56.8% odds of winning the American League West.

The Houston Astros (88.8%) and Seattle Mariners (29.9%) were the only other teams in the division with legitimate postseason aspirations. Houston (39.9%) was considered the only real challenger to claim AL West, while Seattle (3.2%) was a very long shot.

What a difference a weekend makes in what is now a three-team race.

Going into Monday night’s games – Texas, Houston and Seattle are all in action – the odds look considerably different. The Rangers, after getting swept by the Milwaukee Brewers, have seen their playoff odds fall to 83.2% – a drop of 11.9% from just Wednesday. Winning the division is now less than a 50-50 proposition, falling to 42%.

The Astros were just swept by Seattle, which has obviously impacted both clubs. Houston is down 80.2% and 40.5% to make the playoffs and win the AL West, respectively. The Mariners are the big gainers, moving their playoff chances to 59.5% – up nearly 30 points – and a 17.5% shot at a division crown.

The Rangers, per FanGraphs, have the toughest strength of schedule down the stretch with remaining opponents winning at a .516 clip. Seattle (.498) and Houston (.497) have essentially the same schedule strength.

Outside of numbers and analytics, the Astros and Mariners also have history on their side. Houston is the defending World Series champion and Seattle did reach the playoffs last season. The Rangers last played beyond game No. 162 in 2016.

Texas opens a nine-game road trip with the first of two games at the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night. Houston faces the Boston Red Sox, while the Mariners get the Chicago White Sox.

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You can follow Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92.

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