SEATTLE — The Texas Rangers have 15 games left and are two games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the third American League wild card. They fell to 72-75 with a 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday afternoon at T-Mobile Park. Seattle scored four runs in the seventh inning after Jacob deGrom left with a 3-0 lead.
Cleveland is 74-73. The Toronto Blue Jays sit between the two teams at 73-74, and both clubs were idle Thursday, MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry reported. The New York Yankees (84-62) and Boston Red Sox (80-67) hold the first two wild cards. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said there was no doubt the Rangers would feel Thursday’s loss.
“Win tomorrow,” Schumaker said. “That’s how you get [momentum] back. That’s that. There’s only one way to go. We’re going to feel this one. There’s no doubt. Going to feel it for probably the rest of the night, and then you’re going to have to flush it right away when we get to land in Arizona. That’s just part of being a big leaguer.”
“We go to Arizona,” Schumaker continued. “We try to win the first game. … The only thing you can do is be upset for another eight hours and then figure out Arizona.”
Texas has not won a road series since before the All-Star break. The last two came back to back, a four-game sweep in Toronto and two of three in Cleveland from June 25 to July 1. The Rangers are 32-43 on the road, a record Schumaker singled out before the series in Seattle, and 40-32 at Globe Life Field.
Houston Astros Won Season Series 9-4
Texas is three games behind the Houston Astros (75-72) in the American League West. Houston beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Thursday. The Rangers went 4-9 against the Astros this season and do not play them again. None of the final 15 games come against a division opponent.
Cleveland is also chasing a division. The Guardians are 1 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox (75-71) in the American League Central. Texas finished its season series with Cleveland at 4-2, and it went 8-5 against Seattle after the Mariners took two of three this week.
deGrom pitched through groin tightness Thursday and left after 6 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts. Nathan Eovaldi, placed on the injured list Aug. 10 with right posterior elbow inflammation, threw about 30 pitches in a live batting practice session Tuesday. Josh Jung began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock the same day. Round Rock’s regular season ends Sept. 20. Schumaker said Tuesday that the club is mapping all of its remaining games at once while adjusting daily.
Texas Rangers Play Nine Of Final 15 At Globe Life Field
The trip ends this weekend with three games at the Arizona Diamondbacks. Friday’s opener at Chase Field starts at 8:40 p.m. CT, and Arizona starts right-hander Merrill Kelly (9-13, 5.06 ERA). Kelly went 3-3 in 10 starts for Texas after the Rangers acquired him at the 2025 trade deadline. Texas took two of three from Arizona at Globe Life Field in May.
After an off day Monday, the Rangers play nine straight games at home. Boston comes in Sept. 15-17. Texas lost two of three at Fenway Park in June.
Toronto follows Sept. 18-20, the only remaining series against Toronto or Cleveland. The Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers before the trip to Arlington. Texas won all four games in Toronto from June 25 to 28, which clinched the season series between the teams.
The New York Mets visit Sept. 22-24 for their first meeting with Texas this season. The regular season ends Sept. 25-27 at Target Field against the Minnesota Twins, who swept three games from Texas at Globe Life Field in June.
