Texas Rangers Make Huge Lineup Changes for ALCS Game 5 vs. Houston Astros

The Texas Rangers have made major adjustments to their batting order aimed to stop a two-game postseason losing streak.

ARLINGTON, Texas — In a Game 5 that feels like a must-win for a Texas Rangers team reeling from two straight losses, manager Bruce Bochy has engaged in one of his biggest lineup shakeups of the entire season.

With the Rangers hosting the Houston Astros on Friday afternoon American League Championship Series, the top four spots in the order remained unchanged from Thursday’s 10-3 loss. The rest of the lineup has been moved around.

Most prominent was Bochy sliding center fielder Leody Taveras from his traditional No. 9 spot to No. 5, right behind clean-up hitter Adolis García.

“Leo has been swinging the bat well so we moved him to five,” Bochy said. “He has speed, he’s a switch hitter and his timing is good.”

Taveras, a .266 hitter in the regular season, is 4-for-9 with a home run in this ALCS, with that long ball coming off Astros Game 5 starter Justin Verlander. Taveras is also batting .321 this postseason.

García, who plays right field next to Taveras in center, sees what Bochy is seeing on the field.

“I think he is someone who is playing with a lot of confidence right now,” García said. “He’s always been a five-tool The postseason has given him a platform to elevate his game.”

From there, Bochy slid third baseman Josh Jung up to No. 6 from the No. 8 spot he has occupied this series.

That’s likely a reflection of Jung’s improved performance at the plate. He hit two home runs in Game 3 from the No. 8 spot. While is still batting just .214 in the ALCS, he is batting .324 for the postseason.

Bochy opted to keep first baseman Nathaniel Lowe at No. 7. Lowe is batting .250 in this ALCS and is coming off a 1-for-4 performance in Game 4. He’s batting .211 this postseason.

Those changes meant a couple of players had to move down in the order. Designated hitter Mitch Garver and catcher Jonah Heim dropped to No. 8 and No. 9, respectively, in the order after batting either fifth or sixth in the last two games.

Garver went 0-for-3 in Game 4 and is batting .071 in the ALCS, which has dragged his postseason average down to .208. Heim, meanwhile, is batting .143 in the ALCS and went 0-for-3 in Game 2. That has dragged his postseason batting average down to .200.

“Jonah is trying to find his timing, same with Mitch,” Bochy said. “So I just moved them to the back of the order to try and get this offense sparked.”

2023 ALCS schedule (Series tied 2-2)

Game 1: Rangers 2, Astros 0

Game 2: Rangers 5, Astros 4

Game 3: Astros 8, Rangers 5

Game 4: Astros 10, Rangers 3

Game 5: Friday at Arlington, 4:07 p.m. (FS1)

Game 6: Sunday at Houston, 7:03 p.m. (FS1)

Game 7*: Monday at Houston, 7:03 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

*If necessary

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