Rangers charging hard in AL West and wild card races

Tuesday night’s news that the Texas Rangers had traded for outfielder Will Venable may have prompted a few eyebrows to raise. Why was Texas making this move?

That may have compelled a few to click over to the MLB standings and the revelation that the Rangers are indeed making a push into the AL playoff race. Going into Thursday’s play, Texas sits four games behind the Astros in the AL West. But the team is only 1.5 games back from the Angels for second place in the division — and more importantly, the league’s second wild-card bid.

Part of the Rangers’ rise is due to their competition sliding. In the AL West, the Astros have gone 8-9 thus far in August, which includes getting swept in three games by Texas at Globe Life Park. Meanwhile, the Angels have a 8-10 record for the month. In the wild-card race, Baltimore has gone 9-8, while the Twins are 6-12. The Rangers have capitalized on the opportunity, going 11-6 in August to this point.

Fueling the surge has been a revival from key offensive players. Shin-Soo Choo was slogging through a terrible season, batting .221 with a .684 OPS in the first half of the season. Since the All-Star break, however, he’s compiled a .333/.441/.607 slash average. In August, Choo leads Rangers hitters with a .984 OPS.

Also this month, Adrian Beltre has recovered from a thumb injury, hitting .309 with an .881 OPS, three home runs and 11 RBI. Mitch Moreland is batting .339 with an .859 OPS, two homers and 13 RBI. Prince Fielder has a .309 average and .814 OPS with two homers and 10 RBI. Additionally, Rougned Odor (.317 average), Chris Gimenez (.951 OPS) and new acquistion Mike Napoli (.983) have made significant contributions with their bats.

That offensive performance, along with an improved defense, has helped offset a pitching staff that’s struggled somewhat in August. As a staff, the Rangers have compiled a 4.04 ERA. Colby Lewis has a 4.95 ERA and allowed 20 hits in 20 innings this month. Cole Hamels, arguably the flashiest acquisition of the trade deadline hasn’t exactly shined in his first three appearances with Texas, compiling a 5.23 ERA and allowing 23 hits in 20.2 innings. Trusting his changeup against AL hitters has reportedly been part of the issue.

But Martin Perez (2.21 ERA) and Yovani Gallardo (3.38) have pitched well to make up for Lewis and Hamels. And after missing four months with a torn muscle in his left shoulder, Derek Holland returned to the rotation on Wednesday, allowing two runs with six strikeouts and no walks in 6.1 innings against the Mariners.

Where the Rangers have truly shined is in their bullpen. The success of the relief corps has lessened the burden on the starting rotation to pitch deep into ballgames and also given the Rangers a chance to stay close or rally when needed.

Closer Shawn Tolleson hasn’t allowed a run in eight August appearances, striking out 12 batters in nine innings while notching five saves in five opportunities. Keone Kela, Sam Dyson (acquired from the Marlins) and Sam Freeman have combined to allow two runs in 21.2 innings, with 20 strikeouts and five walks. Jake Diekman, who came with Hamels from Philadelphia, has struck out nine batters in 9.2 innings, holding opponents to a .147 average.

So can the Rangers keep rolling and make a further push into contention during the rest of August and into September? Their schedule for the remainder of this month could present some problems.

Texas closes out this week with a four-game set in Detroit, but has played well on the road this season and could have success against the rebooting Tigers. But the Rangers then return to Arlington for three-game series versus the scorching Blue Jays and Orioles, who could be their toughest competition for that second wild-card spot. We should have a better idea of whether or not this team can contend for the postseason after that stretch.

But even if Texas appears to be in a good position, a 10-game West Coast road trip will likely provide an even tougher test. Seven of those games will be against the Padres and Mariners, which could help the Rangers’ cause. But a three-game set in Anaheim could be a crucial series in that first weekend of September.

The Rangers have seven games remaining against the Astros this season, four of them in Arlington. With an 8-4 record versus Houston, that could be advantageous for their division and wild-card chances. However, the season could come down to a four-game finale with the Angels at Globe Life Park. That series could end up being for the whole enchilada, as far as the postseason is concerned. Texas is 4-8 against the Halos this year, but having those final four games in Arlington could tip the series in the Rangers’ favor.

Of course, pitching match-ups could weigh heavily in how that series is decided, especially if Garrett Richards and Hector Santiago pitch for the Angels. Richards has faced Texas twice this season, allowing three runs in 14.2 innings with 11 strikeouts. Santiago has a 1.85 ERA versus the Rangers in four starts (though he’s walked 12 batters in 24.1 innings). Having southpaw Andrew Heaney available in one of those four games would certainly help, pitching against a Texas lineup that tilts left-handed.

But who else might Mike Scioscia have to pitch in that series? Jered Weaver? Nick Tropeano? Anything less than the best the Angels have to offer could cost them.

The AL West standings say the Rangers are a bit of a longshot to make the postseason, though the wild-card race provides plenty of reason for optimism. However, Texas was nine games back in the division and seven behind in the wild-card on July 20. This team has already made up significant ground in the standings. And if the competition continues to struggle, while the Rangers look more like a team playing its best baseball at the right time (and could get even better if Hamels pitches to expectations), nabbing a postseason bid looks very much possible.