In what is a weekly segment, let's take a look around the rest of the AL West, which includes your Texas Rangers salvaging a terrible road trip with a crisp win in Detroit this afternoon and the Los Angeles Angels lurking closely.
1. Texas Rangers (62-50) — The Rangers finally got to see the bullpen come together like they envisioned after the weekend trade deadline acquisitions. Alexi Ogando pitched into the seventh before hitting a wall, he gave way to Darren Oliver for one out, and Koji Uehara for another easy out. Mike Adams pitched the eighth with no bumps. Feliz came in and looked the best he's looked in weeks for the ninth, striking out two to nail down his 22nd save. The Rangers now head home to host Cleveland and Seattle and look to break out of this funk they've been in, having won just 4 of their last 10.
2. Los Angeles Angels (60-51) — The Angels got clobbered by the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night, salvaging a division lead for the Rangers, which has now gotten up to 1 1/2 games going into tonight's late series finale with the Twins. If Francisco Liriano can get a win, the Rangers will be back up to two games.
3. Oakland A's (49-62) — It's really the same old story with these bottom two teams and there's not much to say. They're on a 3-game losing skid after getting swept by the even worse Mariners. Yuck.
4. Seattle Mariners (48-62) — See above. At least they're on a winning streak having swept the A's but they start a series at the Angels on Friday, which could be bad news for the Rangers, who will be Mariners fans for the weekend.
