Texas Rangers Squander Chance to Make Up Ground in AL West

The Texas Rangers lost to the Oakland Athletics on a night when both the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners also fell.

The Texas Rangers had a big chance to make up some ground in the American League West, but couldn’t beat the last-place Oakland Athletics on Friday.

The Rangers lost 6-3.

On a night when both the Houston Astros and the Seattle Mariners fell, the Rangers missed a big chance to make up a game on each. So, while the division race remained static, the Rangers are running out of time to catch up.

As for the Wild Card race, the loss hurt. The Toronto Blue Jays — which climbed into the final spot while the Rangers were being swept by Houston — gained a game by beating Kansas City.

Below is an update on the race, with the current standings, magic numbers to clinch the AL West and a Wild Card berth, along with the remaining schedules for the teams that are still in the race.

The AL West Race as of Sept. 9

Friday’s AL West results

• Oakland 6, Texas 3
• San Diego 11, Houston 2
• Tampa Bay 7, Seattle 4

AL West Standings

• Houston (80-62): (Magic Number: 21)
• Seattle (79-62): 1,0 GB
• Texas (76-64): 3.0 GB

What’s Left?

• Houston (20): Saturday-Sunday: vs. San Diego (2); Monday-Wednesday: vs. Oakland (3); Sept. 15-17: at Kansas City (3); Sept. 18-20: vs. Baltimore (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Kansas City (3); Sept. 25-27: at Seattle (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Arizona (3)
• Seattle (21): Saturday-Sunday: at Tampa Bay (2); Monday-Wednesday: vs. Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 15-17: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3); Sept. 18-20: at Oakland (3); Sept. 22-24: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)
• Texas (22): Saturday-Sunday: vs. Oakland (2); Monday-Thursday: at Toronto (4); Sept. 15-17: at Cleveland (3); Sept. 18-20: vs. Boston (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)

AL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 9

• (Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Wednesday’s key AL Wild Card results

• Toronto 5, Kansas City 4

Wild Card Standings

• Tampa Bay (86-56): +7.5 (Magic Number: 14)
• Seattle (79-62): +1.0 Games (21)
• Toronto (78-63): — (22)
• Texas (76-61): 1.5 GB

What’s Left?

• Tampa Bay (20): Saturday-Sunday: vs. Seattle (2); Sept. 11-13: at Minnesota (3); Sept. 14-17: at Baltimore (4); Sept. 19-21: vs. Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Toronto (3); Sept. 26-27: vs. Boston (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Toronto (3)
• Toronto (21): Saturday-Sunday: vs. Kansas City (2); Monday-Thursday: vs. Texas (4); Sept. 15-17: vs. Boston (3); Sept. 19-21: at New York Yankees (3); Sept. 22-24: at Tampa Bay (3); Sept. 26-28: vs. New York Yankees (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Tampa Bay (3)

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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