The Rangers have not scored a run since the fifth inning Friday night against the Detroit Tigers. But players in the Texas clubhouse Monday afternoon didn’t seem worried much, if at all.
“When you’re in a funk like we have been in the last couple of games, you just need to go out there and simplify things,” shortstop Elvis Andrus said. “Don’t think about a homer or extra bases, just try to get on-base and put something together.”
Base runners were scarce over the weekend for Texas, as it managed just seven total hits in the final two games of the Tigers series. Some of the issues stretch back to the beginning of the month, as the Rangers have scored just 49 runs in August, which ranks 24th in Major League Baseball.
“It’s about getting back to being stubborn in the box, controlling the strike zone, and trying to string hits together,” manager Jeff Banister said. “We’ve seen that when we can do that, we’re at our best.”
Banister also credited the Detroit pitching the Rangers faced over the weekend, calling it “impressive.” The next opponent could provide a little pitching relief for Texas, as the Oakland Athletics have the second-worst team ERA in the American League (4.64).
The Rangers host the A’s for three games beginning Monday night, before heading to Tampa Bay and Cincinnati beginning Friday.
