Thoughts on a 7-4 Rangers loss

Dodgers 7, Rangers 4

• That may have been Lance Lynn’s last start as a Ranger.
• It wasn’t one of Lynn’s better outings. His command wasn’t as sharp as it usually is, and he racked up pitches early, though it could have been worse.
• The first run Lynn allowed was unearned, when Shin-Soo Choo couldn’t field a one out A.J. Pollock double cleanly. Matt Beaty was stopping at third, but the error allowed him to score. Lynn’s strike out and then fly out that he elicited afterwards meant that Pollock was stranded at second and the run was considered unearned.
• Two more runs scored in the third when Cody Bellinger hit a towering fly ball down the line in right that stayed fair and left the park for a two run homer. Max Muncy brought the final run Lynn allowed home in the fifth, on a sac fly to deep, deep right center that just barely stayed in the park.
• Lynns final line was 6 IP, 6 K, 5 hits, and 3 walks, with 110 pitches. His ERA is now 1.93 for the what.
• What had been a close game was broken open in the seventh. Luis Garcia struck out Austin Barnes to start the inning, but then walked Mookie Betts and gave up a single to Corey Seager. Taylor Hearn came into the game, fell behind Max Muncy 3-1, and then gave up a shot that landed near the LSB DoppleRanger section in right center. After a walk, a single and a K, Hearn was lifted for Kyle Cody.
• Cody was a very positive part of tonight’s game, at least. The righthander allowed no hits in finishing out the final 2.1 innings of the game, walking two and striking out three. If Lynn has pitched his final game as a Ranger, and is dealt by Monday’s trade deadline, Cody almost certainly will take his spot in the rotation.
• The other positive tonight was that the Rangers got homers from Ronald Guzman and Leody Taveras. Guzman, getting a shot at the first base job again, had 3 hits — a rocket home run and a softly hit single and double — as well as a walk, getting on all four times in his return to the lineup. His single was of the infield variety, and featured an acrobatic slide into first base while avoiding a tag. Leody, meanwhile, went the opposite way for his first major league home run.
• These two — Leody and Guzman — are auditioning for 2021 jobs over the final month of the season. They both are well above average defenders at their positions — the question is whether they will hit enough to be counted on as regulars. In the case of Leody, it is a question of whether he will show enough to be penciled in at center to start 2021, or if will be spending some time in Nashville next year before assuming the job at some point. With Guzman, on the other hand, he may be getting his last shot.
• Guzman’s home run had a 107.3 EV, the highest exit velocity for anyone on either team today, just edging out Bellinger, whose home run was measured at 107.2. Robinson Chirinos and Isiah Kiner-Falefa had groundouts at 105.4 and 105.1, respectively, while Todd Frazier had a triple that was 105.0 off the bat. Joey Gallo had a 103.5 mph single, Nick Solak had a 101.7 mph fly out, and Leody’s homer left the bat at 100.5.
• Luis Garcia was the hardest throwing Ranger tonight, with four pitches between 97.6 and 98.1. Lance Lynn had nine pitches of at least 96 mph, topping out at 96.8, while Kyle Cody hit 96.3. Taylor Hearn topped out at 95.6.
• Texas tries to win the rubber match tomorrow. Let’s see if Lance Lynn is still here when they play.