This weekend when the Rangers host a three-game series against the Padres with a four-day all-star break following, Texas will have a chance to make a statement for the second half and gain some serious momentum to halt a rough skid they're in at the moment.
At the same time, a bad weekend could set a path toward 2016.
If the Rangers can sweep a really bad Padres team that is actually struggling worse than Texas at the moment, it would put the Rangers at .500 at the break. No one could have seen that coming when the season began, and any team at .500 at the halfway point has to be considered a playoff contender with the two Wild Card spots up for grabs.
A successful weekend would not only snap this skid — 3 wins in their last 10 and eight straight home losses — but it would set the Rangers up to possibly be buyers in the next couple of weeks with a right-handed bat and bullpen help on the wishlist.
It's a big weekend, and with a four-day layoff following it, expect the Rangers to throw everything at the Padres to have a successful weekend.
