Texas Rangers push their winning streak to seven of their last eight, routing Oakland 9-3 and clinching the series at Sutter Health Park. Merrill Kelly spun six solid innings after being acquired at the deadline, surrendering just a couple of solo shots in the third. Texas pounded out 17 hits, with Langford delivering his 20th homer and Jung collecting three hits in a strong run. Pederson and Higashioka joined the multi-hit effort, while Helman supplied a timely double. Dylan Moore, who debuted Friday, homered in the ninth to cap the win.

Offense came early and often: a three-spot in the second, another in the fourth, and a nine-run ninth that showcased depth as the Rangers chase late-season momentum. The lineup leaned on changeups and contact, leaning away from the hard stuff to neutralize Oakland’s attack, while the bullpen preserved the lead. Fantasy managers should watch Langford, Jung, and Helman for continued plate discipline and power upside as the Rangers near postseason contention.

Texas rode a pitching clamp-down and a power surge to a 5-0 win over Cleveland, sweeping the Guardians and climbing back to .500 at 66-66. The sweep nudged the Rangers within striking distance of the AL wild-card race, with odds around the mid-teens after a modest bump from FanGraphs. A trio of Texas starters limited Cleveland to one run in 21 innings, while Langford, Duran, Pederson, Tellez and Freeman supplied the offense, including Pederson’s big hits and Freeman’s Sunday go-ahead blast. The club now faces a six-game slate against the Astros, Brewers and Mets that will test their staying power and remaining playoff odds.

Manager Bruce Bochy’s club has navigated injuries and inconsistency all season, but the latest results show an energized lineup and a rotation that can carry them in a tight stretch run. With the Royals nipping at them for the top AL wild-card spot, Texas will need to sustain this momentum and maximize each opportunity to push the odds higher than the roughly 15% range they’ve elevated into after the Cleveland series.

Texas Rangers offense remains the season’s Achilles’ heel, and the blame game has begun as they dropped 5-2 to Kansas City on the road. The numbers tell a grim story: three or fewer runs in 65 of 127 games, and three or fewer in 11 of 18 since the trade deadline, with just one win in that span. The pressure expands to game management and bullpen usage when the lineup can’t deliver. Merrill Kelly battled cramps but still held the Rangers to two solo homers over six, highlighting how the offense has to carry every margin of error. Kansas City seized the moment: Bobby Witt Jr. and Jonathan India sparked the late surge, Angel Zerpa worked out of trouble, and Cole Winn’s seventh-inning jam allowed the go-ahead run to cross. On the Rangers’ side, Cody Freeman’s appearance and a potential bunt move for him with Jonah Heim at first underscored the rare risk-reward moves Bochy tried as the offense stalled. The result pushes the Rangers further down the AL playoff path while the Royals’ bats mounted the pressure. The narrative remains simple and brutal: the offense doesn’t do its job, so everything else must be perfect—and that margin is shrinking fast.