Texas Rangers Recap – Week of 8/29/25 – 9/5/25

Texas Rangers Recap – Week of 8/29/25 – 9/5/25

The Rangers played fewer games this week, so there is less to report on, but they did keep winning to stay in the race for a playoff spot. Unfortunately, on August 26^th it was reported that Nathan Eovaldi’s Cy Young caliber season is likely done due to a right rotator cuff strain. Apparently it developed soreness in the few days after his last start against the Guardians on August 22^nd, which prompted the MRI that they based their decision on. I hate that for the team and Eovaldi, who was likely having one of the best seasons of his career.

Game Results for the Week

Aug 29 Rangers vs. Athletics – Win, 5–2 (Home)
Jonah Heim and rookie Michael Helman each homered to support a strong start by Jack Leiter. Shawn Armstrong sealed the win in relief.

Sept 2 Rangers @ Diamondbacks – Win, 7–5 (Extra innings)
In a dramatic rally, the Rangers stormed back from a 5–3 deficit. Jake Burger tripled in the 9th, Cody Freeman tied it with a clutch hit, and Alejandro Osuna delivered a two-run single in the 10th to seal the win.

Sept 4 Rangers @ Diamondbacks – Loss, 5–3
Ketel Marte hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the 7th. The Rangers went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, ending their six-game win streak.

Overall Record This Week: 2 wins, 1 loss

Game Notes:

A strong start on August 29 helped maintain momentum from the previous week.

The extra-innings comeback on September 2 showed resilience and clutch performance from the rarely-used Osuna and key contributors like Freeman and Burger.

The loss on September 4 exposed ongoing offensive inconsistency in high-pressure situations, especially with scoring chances left on base.

Playoff Picture Heading into the Weekend

Here’s how the Rangers stack up in the American League Wild Card race as of September 5, 2025:

The Yankees (78–62) and Red Sox (78–63) continue to hold the top Wild Card slots.

The Mariners (73–67) are currently the third seed.

The Rangers (72–69) sit in 4th place, just 1.5 games behind the top Wild Card grouping.

Behind Texas, both the Royals and Rays are on their heels at 2 games back.

This slim margin puts the Rangers firmly in the postseason mix, though every remaining game is critical.

Summary Table

The Rangers have a massive three game series with the Houston Astros this weekend. The team and their fans have likely been focused solely on securing a Wild Card spot. It seemed like the Rangers’ most likely path into the playoffs would be through the Wild Card. Many probably assumed they would have zero chance of catching Houston, but that’s why they say you shouldn’t make assumptions. When you take a look at the current standings as the Rangers enter this weekend’s series against the Astros, they’re only 5 games behind Houston.

If the Rangers can somehow manage to pull off a sweep this weekend, as unlikely as it may seem, they would only be 2 games behind the Astros with 18 games left to play. That would set up a very interesting mad dash to the finish line to see who can win the AL West. This is more than the Rangers could have ever asked or hoped for, considering where they were a few short weeks ago. I’m really grateful to see their continued improvement week after week, and I’m sure they’re feeling the same way. However the rest of the season plays out, it’s sure to be a wild ride! Hang on to your hats Rangers fans; this thing is getting very interesting!