Texas Rangers Close Playoff Gap Amid Key Player Injuries

The Texas Rangers are making a strong push for a postseason spot, having won five straight games to narrow the gap to 2 1/2 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the last American League wild card. However, their momentum has been challenged by injuries to key players, including star shortstop Corey Seager, who underwent an appendectomy with an uncertain return timeline, second baseman Marcus Semien, and right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, sidelined with a strained rotator cuff. Despite these setbacks, the Rangers boast the best ERA in baseball and hold the third-best run differential in the AL, signaling their competitiveness under four-time World Series-winning manager Bruce Bochy. Texas stands among a small group of teams on the playoff bubble, alongside Houston, Seattle, and Kansas City, all contesting the AL West title and wild card spots. Their upcoming schedule is the toughest among the contending teams, including multiple games against division leader Houston Astros, making the final stretch critical. The expanded postseason format has increased playoff certainty for many teams, but Texas must overcome injuries and a challenging schedule to secure their place in the postseason.