Monday Morning Texas Rangers Update

Good morning.

T.R. Sullivan writes that the Rangers were swept by the Athletics with a 6-1 loss on Sunday but, more importantly, Joe Palumbo returned and had a solid effort in relief.

Jeff Wilson writes that Sunday’s game might be the last blisteringly hot day game in Arlington history while noting the efforts of Palumbo and opener/starter Jonathan Hernandez.

The DMN’s Randy Jennings writes that while it was hot on the field, the bats went cold for Texas in Oakland’s last game at The Ballpark.

Sullivan has quotes from manager Chris Woodward refraining from dunking on rotation steward Jeff Mathis for being the worst hitter on the planet for like 15 consecutive years because he knows that dunking on Jeff Mathis is my thing. Thanks, skip!

Wilson notes that Mathis is also not happy with the fact that he’s a terrible hitter who had an especially terrible season hitting as a late-season injury perhaps has the 87-year-old catcher already anticipating the second year on the two-year deal the Rangers gave him.

Jennings notes that Mathis is expected to miss four to five games with a lower back strain which might force Texas to bring in another catcher for the last couple of weeks. Also, Mathis has a wRC+ of 2.

The Hardball Times’ John Paschal writes — upon re-watching Josh Hamilton’s four home run game — about Hamilton’s perpetual state of being both otherworldly and humbled.

And, lastly, Will Leitch looks at one player from each team who performed better in 2019 than their numbers showed and the fact that he names Rougned Odor for the Rangers feels like he did so intentionally to cause fights in the comments of this website.

Have a nice day!