ARLINGTON, Texas — Former Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus laid out five keys for the club’s last five regular-season games on Rangers Sports Network, in a segment that aired after Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to the New York Mets left Texas tied atop the AL West.
At 78-79, the Rangers are even with the Houston Astros with five games to play. Houston beat the Seattle Mariners 7-0 on Tuesday night. The Astros won the season series between the two clubs and own the tiebreaker, so Texas has to finish at least one game ahead of Houston to win the division.
Andrus works as a studio analyst on the network’s pregame and postgame shows and earned a 2026 Lone Star Sports Emmy nomination in that category. He played the first 12 seasons of his 15-year career in Arlington, from 2009 through 2020, and was part of the franchise’s first two World Series teams in 2010 and 2011.
The Rangers inducted Andrus into their Hall of Fame in 2025. His 305 stolen bases with Texas are a franchise record, and his 1,605 starts at shortstop are the most by any player at one position in club history.
Elvis Andrus On Heart, Details, And The First Five Innings
Heart topped the list, and passion is what Andrus wants from the roster over the final week. Texas has not reached the postseason since winning the 2023 World Series.
“I think the key number one will be heart,” Andrus said. “I need to see. I need to get everything the guys have. They have to bring their passion. They need to bring their heart. It’s five games. Give everything you have. Leave it all in the field. That’s for me, key number one, my brother.”
New York arrived in Arlington at 72-85. Before Tuesday’s series opener, the Mets gave Andy Green a three-year contract to stay on as manager after he had served as interim manager since late June.
Details came second. For Andrus, that covers the small game, the defense, and routine plays, and it applies most against opponents who are already out of the race.
“They have to be careful and making sure all the little details are done,” Andrus explained. “When I’m talking details, I’m talking the small game, the defense, routine plays, you have to make those. Especially when you’re playing teams that are already out of the race. You cannot give one centimeter.”
“You have to stay on top,” Andrus continued. “You are the one that has to take advantage of their lack of energy. So details for me will be key number two for the next five days.”
The third key was the first five innings of every game. Andrus said he remembered being in this same spot during his playing days. Texas reached the postseason five times with Andrus at shortstop, in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2016.
“Number three is five because they need to play, they need to be aggressive the first five innings of the game,” Andrus said. “I remember when we’re playing, we are in this situation. When you play teams, they’re like ready to go to Cancun, ready to go on vacation. If you play hard the first five innings, they give up the next four.”
“So the first five innings when you’re facing, whether it’s this series or next series in Minnesota, win the first five innings, the rest of the game usually goes very easily,” Andrus added.
Wyatt Langford And The Bullpen Round Out Elvis Andrus’ List
Corey Seager and Jake Burger came up first when Andrus reached his fourth key, which was a player rather than a category. He settled on Wyatt Langford, who has batted both in the middle and at the top of the Texas order. The Rangers drafted Langford fourth overall out of Florida in 2023.
“Langford for me, he is the key of this lineup,” Andrus said. “This guy go, the whole lineup is going. I know Seager is going to do their part. I know Burger is going to do their part. But Langford, he hits in the middle. He hits on the top of the lineup.”
“If that kid goes, the whole lineup will go,” Andrus continued. “So I think Langford is the piece that the team will need in the next five games.”
Langford entered the Sept. 18 opener of a home series against the Toronto Blue Jays hitting .153 across 15 September games. He reached base in all five of his plate appearances that night, going 2-for-2 with three walks in a 7-1 win, and was slashing .242/.336/.435 with 17 home runs afterward. On Tuesday, Langford drove in a run with a sacrifice fly for his 43rd RBI of the season.
Seager hit his 18th home run of the season Sept. 13 at Arizona.
Andrus closed with the bullpen, a group he said has been lacking. On Tuesday, Nathan Eovaldi gave up a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning in his fourth relief appearance since coming off the injured list and took the loss, falling to 11-10.
“Bullpen,” Andrus said. “The only way you’re going to win, not only the division first, but go through the whole postseason is bullpen. I know we’ve been lacking.”
“But the next five days, they need to find a way to lock it in, give zeros, keep the game close, and let the offense take the rest and do the rest,” Andrus noted. “So bullpen for me, number five.”
Eovaldi allowed 3 earned runs on 3 hits and 1 walk in 1 inning Tuesday, with 0 strikeouts.
Texas hosts the Mets again Wednesday, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. CT at Globe Life Field, and closes the series Thursday. The Rangers then travel to Target Field for three games against the Minnesota Twins, with first pitch at 7:10 p.m. CT on Friday, 3:10 p.m. CT on Saturday, and 2:10 p.m. CT on Sunday. Houston finishes its series in Seattle before closing the regular season with three games against the Athletics in Sacramento.
