SEATTLE -- If the Rangers are going to get back to where they want to go in the American League West and beyond, they¡¯re going to have to solve some messy Mariners math.
Texas once again lost to Seattle on Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Park, dropping a 3-1 decision that capped off a series sweep. It continued a confounding run of disappointment against the team from the Pacific Northwest over the last few seasons.
The Rangers are 0-3 vs. Seattle this year following a 2024 season in which they went 3-10 against the Mariners.
But it gets weirder.
Texas has now lost eight of its last nine, 12 of 14, 14 of 17, and 16 of its last 20 games vs. Seattle. Texas went 1-6 at T-Mobile Park last season and is now 8-35 over its last 43 games at the venue beginning in 2020, the lowest winning percentage for any team at a single ballpark in that span (minimum of 15 games).
It all begs a simple question: why?
¡°I wish I could explain it,¡± Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. ¡°They have a really good pitching staff. And you have to do some little things to win when you¡¯re going against a good pitching staff, and we¡¯re not doing those things.¡±
On Sunday, there were several reasons, most of which took place in a very strange sixth inning, which the Rangers entered trailing 2-1.
After giving up a leadoff single to Julio Rodr¨ªguez, Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi gave up a swinging-bunt tapper to Jorge Polanco down the first-base line. First baseman Jake Burger fielded it but appeared to have his eye on Rodr¨ªguez as Polanco neared. Polando executed a deft spin move and Burger swiped his glove at him and missed, leading to Polanco reaching safely on an error.
¡°I need to tag him,¡± Burger said. ¡°Simple as that. I tried to be heads up, thinking about Julio, and I was too quick. I have to worry about what comes next after I make the tag.¡±
Then Eovaldi ran into uncharacteristic control issues. He hit Cal Raleigh with a pitch to load the bases, then hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch to score another run and end his day. Lefty reliever Hoby Milner was brilliant in getting the next three outs, two via strikeout, but the damage had been done.
Eovaldi had been efficient through the first five frames, giving up only two singles and a Raleigh two-run home run in the first, but his day ended after 89 pitches with two of the three runs he surrendered being earned. He still has a 2.55 ERA for the season.
¡°I feel like we¡¯ve been throwing the ball well and giving us a good chance to win,¡± Eovaldi said. ¡°We¡¯ve got to keep our heads down and keep getting after it.¡±
Aside from Milner, scoreless relief work was turned in by Jacob Webb and Robert Garcia, who threw a scoreless inning apiece. But the Rangers could only scratch one across against Seattle starter Logan Gilbert in his five innings and then were blanked in perfect innings by Mariners firemen Gabe Speier, Carlos Vargas and Trent Thornton, before leaving a runner on in a scoreless ninth by Seattle closer Andr¨¦s Mu?oz.
The Rangers¡¯ only run came on a second-inning solo homer by rookie outfielder Dustin Harris. Otherwise, they had only three hits, and two of those were singles. Texas was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
¡°We couldn¡¯t get timely hits ¡ again,¡± Bochy said. ¡°That¡¯s kind of been the story lately. We¡¯ve got to keep going, keep grinding through this. We¡¯ve got to find a way to beat these guys.¡±
Perhaps the Rangers can once again recapture the vibes of the final weekend of their magical 2023 World Series championship season, when they clinched their spot in the postseason in Seattle and ended the Mariners¡¯ season.
That will have to wait, though. These days, they can¡¯t seem to beat the Mariners and are struggling to explain why.
¡°We have a good lineup, but right now we¡¯re just sputtering a little bit,¡± Bochy said. ¡°We¡¯ve got to keep the line moving, but it¡¯s just not happening right now.¡±