ANAHEIM — When the Texas Rangers won the World Series in 2023, they did so in large part thanks to a dangerous lineup that led the American League in just about every offensive category.
In the year and a half since, however, the Rangers rank near the bottom, with a team slash line of .235/.303/.377 since the beginning of 2024, entering Thursday. Their .680 team OPS was only better than that of the White Sox (.626) during that span.
After another slow start to open 2025, the Rangers fired offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker, replacing him with hitting coach Bret Boone in early May. The results didn’t come overnight — Texas still ranks as one of the league’s least productive offenses overall. But with a lot of baseball left to play this season, the Rangers may be able to pinpoint this series against the Angels as a turning point.
During this four-game set — which the two AL West teams split after an 11-4 Rangers win in Thursday’s finale — Texas tallied 37 total runs on 43 hits, and scored eight or more runs in three consecutive games for the first time since April 9-11, 2023. It was the first time the club did so in three straight road games since September 2015.
Through nine games this month, the Rangers rank sixth in MLB in average (.280), tied for first in OBP (.361), fourth in hits (90) and second in walks (37).
“This is more who we think we are,” said manager Bruce Bochy. “I’ve said, these guys are going to come around. They’re too good not to, and that’s what happened here in this series.”
The Rangers broke things open on Thursday with a seven-run third inning to knock Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz out of the game. All nine of Texas’ starters reached base in the contest. But as is usually the case with this team, it all starts with Corey Seager.
The 31-year-old shortstop has been on a heater lately, slashing .394/.512/.788 (1.300 OPS) in July. Seager went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs in the win to extend his on-base streak to 15 games, before being replaced by Ezequiel Duran in the fifth to get some extra rest ahead of the All-Star break. Seager also continued his career-long trend of mashing against the Angels. In 62 games vs. the Halos, Seager has hit .332 with a .996 OPS and 15 home runs.
Seager’s double-play partner did his part, too. Marcus Semien, who has also been swinging a hotter bat lately, went 4-for-5 and scored three runs in the finale. Semien hit .324 in June after entering the month with a .193 clip. He’s up to .239 on the year.
“He’s been swinging well, he has,” Bochy said of his second baseman. “He’s really done a terrific job. I put him in the four-hole, he hit there. Now he’s in the three-hole. He and Corey, they’re our two guys, and we go as they go.”
Semien said it was good to see the whole offense clicking this week after a tough series loss in San Diego.
“I think we kind of grinded through that Padres series,” Semien said. “We saw some good arms, they have some of the best pitching in the league. We got here and just kind of went back to the basics, and tough losses here, but I’m glad we got the split.”
Bochy has moved Semien around in the lineup this season after he spent years as the Rangers’ primary leadoff man. But after Thursday’s win, Bochy said he’s done tinkering, at least for now.
A sustained uptick in offensive production would go a long way for the Rangers, who head to Houston in third place in the West and in the mix for a Wild Card spot. They’re also doing it all without designated hitter Joc Pederson, who has been on the injured list since May 25 with a right hand fracture, and former All-Star third baseman Josh Jung, who was sent to Triple-A after a slow start.
Texas’ pitching has been stellar all season, with an MLB-best 3.31 team ERA. Thursday’s starter Patrick Corbin struck out six across five innings of two-run ball, his 13th straight start of five or more innings. Pairing a potent offense with an elite pitching staff would put the Rangers very much in play in a muddled American League postseason race.
“Coming into the season, this is what we thought we would see more of, and now we have to try to finish up [the first half] on a good note here,” Bochy said. “I’m most proud of these guys, how they’re bouncing back.”
