What’s new with the Texas Rangers? That’s what this page is all about.
The Team Spirit Extra Innings website begins where the Team Spirit books end.
That’s because baseball never stands still … And I can never squeeze everything I want into 48 pages!
Take a look at some of the Rangers collectibles I have in my home.
Enjoy this site, check back whenever you like, and contact me with any questions or comments.
Updates
2023 Season
Season Recap: The Rangers assembled an excellent team under manager Bruce Bochy and he guided them to their first-ever World Series championship. Texas won all of their road games during the postseason, including three in a row against the Diamondbacks to win the title, 4 games to 1. Shortstop Corey Seager was named World Series MVP, but outfielder Adolis Garcia was their best player during the playoffs. Each topped 30 homers during the regular season. The Rangers had several unexpected heroes during the run to the championship, including catcher Jonah Heim, outfielder Evan Carter, and reliever Jose Leclerc.
June 3, 2023: Hard-hitting third baseman Josh Jung was named AL Rookie of the Month for the second month in a row. The last Ranger to win this award back-to-back was Nomar Mazara, in 2016.
April 22, 2023: Adolis Garcia had a big day against the Giants to become the fourth player in history with three homers and two doubles in a game.
April 10, 2023: Andrew Heaney struck out 9 Royals in a row to tie the American League record.
Season Preview: The Rangers may not have enough talent to catch the Astros in the AL West, but with the addition of pitching ace Jacob deGrom, they could lock up second place and a Wild Card spot. The team also signed Andrew Heaney and Nathan Eovaldi to big contracts, signaling to its fans that this is a “win now” season. Texas is still looking to improve its bullpen and needs another power hitter in the lineup, but those players may come through trades during the season. Corey Seager will once again lead the offense, supported by Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia, and rookie Josh Jung.
2022 Season
Season Recap: The team’s 50th season in Texas was their best in several years, but no one was celebrating their 68–94 record. Many of those losses came in tight games that slipped away in the late innings. On the bright side, the club had two good starting pitchers in Jon Gray and Martin Perez, and newcomer Corey Seager hit well. Adolis Garcia and Marcus Semien became the first Rangers to hit 25 homers and steal 25 bases in the same season, while first baseman Nathaniel Lowe led the regulars with a .307 average. The hope is that young talent—including minor-league slugger Josh Jung—and veteran experience will blend in 2023 to produce a winning season.
Season Preview: Texas fans had fun this winter watching the club build a powerful roster through trades and free agent signings. Newcomers Jon Gray, Marcus Semien, Cory Seager, and Mitch Garver fit right in to an awesome batting order. If the Rangers’ defense and pitching can keep runs off the scoreboard, the offense has plenty of pop to boost Texas into the playoffs.
2021 Season
Season Recap: Texas fans waited all season for their team to assemble good starting pitching and it just never happened. The Rangers found themselves playing from behind day after day end ended up losing more than 100 times. They traded their two best hurlers—Ian Kennedy and Kyle Gibson—in July to the Phillies and received righthander Spenser Howard, who looks like a star. Slugger Joey Gallo was dealt to the Yankees for four minor league prospects. Among the few bright spots for the Rangers was outfielder Adolis Garcia, who led the club in homers and RBIs.
Season Preview: Joey Gallo and newcomers Khris Davis and David Dahl need to put up big numbers for Texas to win more games than it loses in 2021. There are many questions to be answered by a so-so pitching staff, which added Mike Foltynewicz and Dane Dunning in the off-season. Rookie third baseman Josh Jung has the makings of a superstar.
2020 Season
Season Recap: Texas won just 22 games and finished at the bottom of the AL West standings. A lot of big swings produced some homers, but not enough runs for Lance Lynn and the rest of the pitchers. A couple of bright spots for the future were the good seasons enjoyed by outfielder Leody Taveras and infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Incredibly, five of the team’s other nine starters failed to hit .200.
Season Preview: The Rangers have a lineup built to win in a short season, with veterans Todd Frazier, Elvis Andrus, Shin-Soo Choo, and Joey Gallo leading the charge. The starting pitching is led by experienced hurlers Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, Mike Minor, and Jordan Lyles. Rafael Montero will get his first chance to close games for Texas after a good 2019 season in the Texas bullpen.
2019 Season
Season Recap: The Rangers finished third in the AL West despite All-Star seasons from Mike Minor, Joey Gallo, and Hunter Pence. Unfortunately, Gallo and Pence were both cut down by injuries in the second half. The Rangers’ best player was probably veteran pitcher Lance Lynn, who went 16–11 and struck out 246 batters. Texas fans were hoping for better years from Roughned Odor and Ronald Guzman, who seemed ready to take it to the next level heading into the season.
May 8, 2019: Joey Gallo became the first player in history to reach 100 home runs before hitting 100 singles.
Season Preview: The Rangers will put a good lineup together in 2019, but few of their players will strike fear into the hearts of opponents. Their great star Adrian Beltre has retired and the team is looking to trade off older players as their young stars come up from the minors. Shortstop Elvis Andrus, slugger Joey Gallo, and reliever Jose Leclrec are their three most exciting players. How many will be Rangers at then end of the season is anyone’s guess.
2018 Season
Season Recap: There were a lot of swings and misses on the Rangers’ way to fifth place in the AL West, but also reasons for fans to get excited. Young stars Joey Gallo, Jurickson Profar, Rougie Odor and Nomar Mazara give the Rangers a solid core for the future. Gallo led the club with 40 homers and Profar finished with 35 doubles and 20 homers.
August 16, 2018: The Rangers completed a triple play with the bases loaded by tagging the lead runner, stepping on third and then throwing to second for a force out. It was the first time since 1912 that a team made a triple play without retiring the batter.
June 18, 2018: Bartolo Colon beat the Royals for his 244th career victory. He passed Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for the most wins by a pitcher from the Dominican Republic.
May 26, 2018: Shin-Soo Choo hit the 176th home run of his career, breaking Hideki Matsui’s record for home runs by an Asian-born player.
Season Preview: After a great run of winning baseball from 2010 to 2016, the Rangers took a step backwards in 2017. What’s in store for 2018? On paper, Texas has the talent to win 90 games. But many of their leading players have been inconsistent in recent years. If stars like Adrian Beltre, Rougie Odor, Shin-Soo Choo, Joey Gallo, Cole Hamels, and Matt Moore play their best—and Nomar Mazara and Delino DeSHields continue to improve—the Rangers will be a very scary team.
2017 Season
Season Recap: After a slow start to the season, the Rangers heated up in the spring and rose to second place. They were a sub- .500 team from that point on and finished third in the AL West with a 78–84 record. Young hitting stars Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara had breakout seasons, but the team’s starting pitching just gave up too many runs.
July 30, 2017: Adrian Beltre became the first Dominican-born player to reach 3,000 career hits.
July 7, 2017: Adrian Beltre became the 21st player in history to collect 5,000 total bases. Three days earlier he became the 17th player with 600 doubles.
2016 Season
November 1, 2016: The Rangers notched 95 victories in 2016, the most in the American League. This was amazing, considering they only scored a handful more runs than they allowed. They did so with a mix of old and young stars, including 22-year-old Rougned Odor and 37-year-old Adrian Beltre. Cole Hamels and Sam Dyson led the pitching staff. Texas fans were thinking about a pennant until the Rangers were swept by the Blue Jays in the opening round of the playoffs.
August 3, 2016: Newly acquired Carlos Beltran scored the 1,500th run of his career.
June 12, 2016: Cole Hamels struck out the 2,000th batter of his career.
2015 Season
June 26, 2015: Prince Fielder hit the 300th homer of his career. Prince and his father, Cecil, became the second father-son duo to each hit 300 homers. Bobby and Barry Bonds were the first.
May 15, 2015: Adrian Beltre hit the 400th home run of his career. Only 51 other big leaguers had reached that mark.
April 5, 2015: Injuries to Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo CHoo crippled Texas in 2014. If these sluggers can remain healthy in 2015, the Rangers will have a solid offense thanks to teammates Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, and Ryan Rua. The loss of Yu Darvish to an arm injury puts great pressure on the pitching staff. Newcomer Yovani Gallardo will have to pick up the slack.
2014 Season
November 1, 2014: The Rangers started and finished the 2014 strong, but in between it seemed sometimes as if they couldn’t buy a victory. Newcomers Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo missed much of the season with injuries, and Adrian Beltre and Leonys Martin could not pick up the slack. With little support, the Rangers pitchers found winning difficult.
April 18, 2014: Elvis Andrus became the team’s all-time leader in stolen bases with 173. He broke the record held by Ian Kinsler.
April 6, 2014: Yu Darvish became the fastest player in history to reach 500 strikeouts. He fanned his 500th batter in 401 2/3 innings.
March 31, 2014: Prince Fielder brings his big bat to Texas, as does leadoff specialist Shin-Soo Choo. That should add up to a lot of runs—something the Rangers lacked in 2013. If pitcher Yu Darvish continues to improve, the team will be tough to beat.
2013 Season
October 1, 2013: Texas looked like it had the AL West wrapped up until a sluggish September dropped them into second place. The Rangers had to win their last seven games just to earn a tie for the final Wild Card spot, and then lost the play-in game to Tampa Bay. Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus led the offense, while Yu Darvish led the league with 277 strikeouts.
September 1, 2013: Adrian Beltre was named AL Player of the Month for August. It marked the third year in a row in which he won a Player of the Month award.
August 1, 2013: In his 50th major-league start, Yu Darvish struck out 14 Arizona Diamondbacks to give him 407 for his career. Since 1900, only Dwight Gooden had more K’s after 50 starts.
March 30, 2013: Texas lost Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, and Mike Napoli over the winter, but the team still has a great offense. Nelson Cruz, Lance Berkman, Mitch Moreland, and Elvis Andrus give the Rangers a chance to score runs in bunches. Yu Darvish leads the pitching staff in his second big-league season.
2012 Season
October 6, 2012: Many believed the Rangers would win a third straight pennant. But near the end of the season, the team went into a slump and allowed the Oakland A’s to slip past them into first place in the AL West. They lost the one-game Wild Card playoff to the Baltimore Orioles and their season suddenly ended. Matt Harrison and Yu Darvish led the pitching staff, while Josh Hamilton had another amazing year at the plate.
May 8, 2012: Josh Hamilton slugged four home runs in a game against the Baltimore Orioles. Only 15 other players had accomplished this feat. Hamilton also hit a double. His 18 total bases set a new AL record.
May 1, 2012: Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish finished his first month as a major leaguer with a perfect 4–0 record in five starts. He was named American League Rookie of the Month.
April, 2012: Well, the big news heading into 2012 is that the Rangers have added Yu Darvish to their pitching staff. He’s 25 years old, and most people say he is the top pitcher in Japan. His mom is Japanese, and his father is Iranian. He was an MVP in 2007 and 2009. Darvish has a good fastball and can control a number of other pitches he uses to fool hitters.
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League Leaders
Playing for the Championship
YEAR | OPPONENT | RESULT |
---|---|---|
2010 | San Francisco Giants | Lost 4–1 |
2011 | St. Louis Cardinals | Lost 4–1 |
2023 | Arizona Diamondbacks | Won 4–1 |