It might not be a popular way to think, and there's no way any player or manager in baseball would go on record with it, but I have a feeling the Rangers were just fine losing Wednesday's game.
The Rangers' bullpen has been ridiculously worked in games that they might not have been necessary, and several pitchers were unavailable. That meant that after Cole Hamels went seven innings and left a tie game, the Rangers went to, you know, Luke Jackson. Wait? Luke Jackson? Yep. Luke Jackson.
Jackson did relatively well, though he did give up a run, and then with only Jake Diekman available in a tie game, the Rangers went with Alex Claudio, presumably holding Diekman for a save chance.
That chance never came.
The Rangers might have lost that game in 11 innings, but their bullpen won, and that coupled with Thursday's off-day means the bullpen should be 100 percent fresh come Friday's series opener with Seattle, which could be tied or a game back of the Rangers when they come to town following Thursday's game against the Padres.
