Wyatt Riot! Texas Rangers Vaunted Rookie Wyatt Langford Surging In September

Wyatt Langford has progressed throughout his rookie season, which culminated in September, one of the best months ever by a Texas Rangers player.

Sep 27, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford (36) celebrates after hitting a two run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

ANAHEIM — Few Texas Rangers prospects in recent memory arrived with higher expectations than Wyatt Langford.

The Rangers 2023 No. 4 overall pick hasn't disappointed, especially in the second half of the season. And most notably, he has steadily progressed into the type of hitter the organization envisioned during a torrid final month of the season.

In fact, few Rangers have put together a better month than the 22-year-old Langford.

He added to it again Saturday in the Rangers' 9-8 comeback win over the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium. He hit his fourth homer in the past six games. Nine of his 16 homers have come in his past 30 games.

Langford is the first Rangers player with 22 or more runs, seven or more home runs, 19 or more RBI, and six or more stolen bases in a month.

Only four MLB rookies had previously posted similar totals in a single month, including Nomar Garciaparra (August 1997), Mike Trout (July and August 2012), Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr. (August 2018), and Arizona's Corbin Carroll (June 2023).

After falling behind 7-1 in the third, the Rangers added runs in the fourth and sixth before scoring twice in the eighth and four in the ninth to finish their largest comeback win of the season. The previous largest rally was five runs in their home finale on Sunday.

.@langford_wyatt leads all AL players in homers this month. 👀 pic.twitter.com/9JHZuNfqpZ

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) September 29, 2024

Three thoughts from Saturday night:

1. Andrew Heaney Earns Bonus

Sep 28, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Andrew Heaney (44) pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

It was arguably Andrew Heaney's worst start of the season, but he'll be celebrating anyway. Heaney, the Rangers most durable starting pitcher with a team and career-high 31 starts in 2024, was charged with a season-high seven runs on a career-tying high 10 hits in four innings and dropped to 5-15 with the loss. Heaney, 33, however, earned a $1.5 million incentive bonus by reaching 160 innings pitched. He started the game with 156.

2. Adolis García Joins Rare Group

Sep 27, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) is greeted by third base coach Tony Beasley (27) after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels. during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Adolis García, who hit his 25th home run in Friday's win, left Saturday's game after running out a groundout in the sixth inning. García came up limping on his left knee, which has been bothering him of late.
Garcia is the seventh player in Rangers history with four or more 25-homer seasons. He's the fourth Rangers player with 25 or more homers in at least four consecutive seasons. He joins Juan Gonzalez (5, 1995-99), Rafael Palmeiro (5, 1999-2003), and Mark Teixeira (4, 2003-06). García is
one of five 5 American League players with 25 or more homers in the past four seasons, joining Houston's Yordan Alvarez, Boston’s Rafael Devers, Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the New Yor Yankees’s Aaron Judge.

3. Up Next

Sep 17, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim (left) talks with starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (right) during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (11-8, 3.96) faces Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-5, 4.01) in the season finale at 2:07 p.m. Sunday.

You can follow Stefan Stevenson on X @StefanVersusTex.

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