Texas Rangers Built Record Start by Avoiding Losing Streaks, Winning Series

The Texas Rangers had gone more than a month without losing consecutive games before falling Friday at the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Texas Rangers just don’t do losing streaks. Or lose series.

At least not very often in 2023.

Racing to the best start in franchise history is obviously going to come with a lot of winning. Part of the formula for the Rangers this season is avoiding skids while piling up series victories.

After falling 8-3 in the opener of a showdown series at the Tampa Bay Rays, the Rangers are in danger of falling short on both counts.

“Time to bounce back,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Friday night.

Bochy has praised the club’s ability to respond throughout the season. That resiliency is part of a remarkable run that saw Texas not lose back-to-back games for more than a month.

The Rangers dropped consecutive games on May 3 to close out a two-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks and May 5 to open a road trip at the Los Angeles Angels.

Texas also lost four in a row before that – April 24-27 – and had a couple of two-game losing streaks early in the season.

But that’s it. For the most part, the American League West leaders rebound after setbacks. Texas is 12-7 following losses.

The Rangers are 15-4-1 series, having won a season-high six in a row. The franchise record is 10 straight in 2016. Texas last lost a series in mid-May, dropping two of three to the Atlanta Braves.

That current series streak would snap if the Rangers lose either of the last two games against the Rays.

Texas (40-22) has the right guy on the mound for Saturday’s second game, with Nathan Eovaldi (8-2, 2.24) emerging as an early Cy Young candidate. The Rays (47-19) counter with Taj Bradley (4-2, 3.60). First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m. CT at Tropicana Field.

“It’s up to us to come back, pitch well, catch the ball and get some hits,” Bochy said.

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