The Dallas Morning News Rangers podcast debuts with Evan Grant and Rangers historian John Blake, inviting past and present Rangers guests to explore lore, the current club, and a bit of fun.

Cole Hamels, a former Rangers ace, revisits his surprise Texas trade, the 2015 AL West title run, and the lessons a veteran can pass to today’s pitching staff; Cole Ragans, a first‑round draft pick, is recalled from spring training lore, and an archival tale of a Ranger who played all nine positions in five innings caps the episode.

Arlington hosts a pivotal six-game stretch that could reshape the AL West and wild-card landscape. Bochy pushes a simple blueprint—pitch well, string together timely hits, and play elite defense—as Texas tries to bridge the gap with Houston. With Nathan Eovaldi sidelined, Jacob deGrom’s consistency will be stretched, while Yordan Alvarez’s return heightens the Astros’ danger. Leadoff is unsettled with Langford or Freeman, and Jake Burger’s late-season spark could anchor the middle of Texas’ order.

Five wins in six against Houston would swing momentum and possibly tighten the division, but a sweep remains the ideal, something Texas hasn’t done against Houston since 2021. Alvarez’s track record against Texas and Valdez’s success against the Rangers loom large, while the three-team tiebreaker maze—Seattle, Boston and others—adds urgency to every at-bat. The Rangers’ postseason fate could hinge on small-but-significant choices in these two weeks.

Houston's Meyers continues his rehab from a right calf injury. After fouling a ball off his knee in a Triple-A game, he was evaluated and cleared to keep rehabbing, with team officials stressing no change to his return timeline. A weekend return in the Astros' series against Texas is on the table.

Last in action on July 6, Meyers appeared four innings into a rehab start at Sugar Land as part of his calf-injury return, then exited for knee concerns that were deemed non-issues by the medical staff. Houston will balance patience with urgency as they prep for the Rangers and Yankees matchup.