45-49 - Rangers continue disappointing Adrian Beltre, lose again

Adrian Beltre was put in the position of having to answer for this team to the media today and, because he’s the leader, he said what he needed to say: he doesn’t want to see it blown up and wants to win here in Texas.

He even put this atrocity on himself. He said he needs to play better. He did not mention that he had two of the three hits on Monday.

Adrian Beltre could have been prickly and said, “I don’t know. I don’t make the roster decisions.” He could have been dismissive and said, “We’ll just have to wait and see.” He could have said nothing. He could have hinted that he wants to be traded to a better team himself.

But Adrian Beltre said the right things, even if they were the expected things, because he’s Adrian Beltre.

Anyhow, afterward, because words don’t hit baseballs, the Rangers went out and scored once off Kevin Gausman in six innings. It was just the sixth time all season that Gausman has allowed even three runs or fewer in six or more innings.

It was Gausman’s second such quality start since the start of June. In his last two outings, Gausman allowed 13 runs.

The Rangers, in a 3-1 game in the seventh, ultimately lost 10-2. Texas has scored four runs in the three games of this series so far against the American League’s worst pitching staff previously having a terrible go of it of late.

Beltre doubled. It was his 2,983rd hit. It moved him past Barry Bonds on the all time doubles list. If you asked him — the man currently fifth on the team in fWAR, despite playing only 40 games so far — he would say this one is on him.

And so, the leader, who will answer for this team, who wants to win and wants to win here, will likely watch them blow it up anyway. And after a game like this, even he knows they probably should because the feeling of being unable to stop disappointing Adrian Beltre must be too much for mere mortals to bear.

Player of the Game: Joey Gallo hit a home run in case you were wondering how Texas managed their one of their two pathetic runs.

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