Thoughts on an 8-4 Rangers loss

Mariners 8, Rangers 4

• If you were to pick a game to sum up the Rangers season, this would be a good choice.
• Texas starter gives up a couple of runs in the first to put the team in an early hole. After giving up another run in the third, Texas plates a couple to make it a one run game. Needing a shutdown inning, the starter gets a couple of outs via strikeout, but then everything goes south, he’s lifted from the game, a couple of inherited runners score, and it’s a disaster inning with five runs coming across. The Rangers then go in order until the ninth, where they muster a late rally, get the tying run to the plate, and then see the game end on a wet fart of a foul out to catcher.
• What is there to say about a game like this? Kolby Allard followed up a couple of strong outings with a really bad one, continuing to leave unanswered questions about whether he can be anything more than a swingman. Jimmy Herget didn’t come through. Wes Benjamin and Taylor Hearn did have solid outings, and so that’s good, and maybe next year the Rangers can go with a 2018 Tampa Bay style setup where they just have a couple of starters and use relievers the rest of the time. I don’t know.
• Shin-Soo Choo had a hit and scored a run but left the game with a sprained hand. Joey Gallo had a walk and a double. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had a pair of hits, and Nick Solak and Ronald Guzman each had a hit, which from the “looking to the future standpoint” is a good thing. Elvis Andrus, back in the lineup, had a brutal game, and is making me sad.
• Eli White came into the game for Choo, and didn’t get a hit. He’s now 0 for 13 in the majors. I’d like him to get a hit just so he can get his first major league hit under his belt.
• 20 more games to go.
• Joey Gallo’s double was 105.6 mph off the bat, the highest exit velocity of the day. Leody Taveras had a 103.4 mph ball off the bat for a lineup, and Jose Trevino had a 103.1 sacrifice fly. IKF had 100.8 on a single, Nick Solak had a fly out at 100.4, and Shin-Soo Choo singled at 100.3.
• Taylor Hearn had the hardest thrown pitch of the day, at 97 mph, along with three more over 95.0 mph. Wes Benjamin topped out at 93.2 mph — and I didn’t know he could throw that hard — while Kolby Allard had a high of 93.1.
• At least Texas is at home tomorrow. Maybe we will get to see the LSB DoppleRangers.