Time for Texas Rangers to Turn Attention to Tampa Bay Rays

The Texas Rangers begin their playoff journey in a best-of-three Wild Card series at the Tampa Bay Rays beginning Tuesday.

If there is any disappointment from the Texas Rangers in losing out on the American League West title, it’s time to flush it.

The Tampa Bay Rays aren’t going to feel sorry for their Wild Card series foes. And neither should the Rangers, who are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

“There’s always going to be disappointment, because this game was huge,” manager Bruce Bochy said after Sunday’s 1-0 loss at the Seattle Mariners, according to MLB.com.

“I’m sure there’s disappointment in [the clubhouse] still. Once we get on the plane, we have to realize, ‘You’re in the postseason.’ You got to get your head back to where it needs to be. We’re in the postseason and this is what we strive to do.”

Rangers starter Dane Dunning allowed the only run in Sunday's 1-0 loss at Seattle / © Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Rangers and Houston Astros both finished 90-72, but the defending World Series champions claimed the division by virtue of winning Silver Boot series over the course of the season. Houston received the first-round bye, while the Rangers boarded a cross-country flight from Washington for Florida.

The best-of-three with the Rays – the No. 4 overall playoff seed – opens Tuesday. All three games, if needed, will be at Tropicana Field and will start at 2:08 p.m. CT. Texas is the fifth seed.

The Rangers held the division lead for essentially the first five months of the season and for 159 days in total. But the last game, the 162nd game, dropped Texas from being the No. 2 seed and being off until the AL Division Series beginning Saturday.

That opportunity lost might be hard for the Rangers to stomach.

“Yes and no,” Dane Dunning said, according to MLB.com. “Obviously, it’s a great feeling that we’re still in a playoff spot. I mean, for us to lose it how we did, you know, tying with Houston and they obviously have the advantage over us, it hurts a little bit.

“But I know every single one of these guys, they grind and battle every day, and that’s just kind of the way it is. We’re looking forward to this next series and we’re going to get started.”

The Rangers are in the playoffs and this is no time to wonder about what might have been. A breakthrough season is still alive, as is the chance to keep going something special.

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