14-7 - Grossman helps Rangers avoid gross outcome against A’s

The Texas Rangers scored five runs while the Oakland Athletics scored two runs.

Sweeping a series in the big leagues isn’t easy and really shouldn’t ever be the expected result at the outset but if there is one team you maybe should be able to sweep, it’s the 2023 Oakland A’s.

That the Rangers made that a nonstarter by fumbling away the opener made any outcome this weekend seem mildly disappointing. However, they always could have lost another one and made things even more embarrassing.

Instead, after treating the A’s like the A’s yesterday, Texas rode their ace Jacob deGrom for six innings of ace-like performance and secured a rare day of Robbie Grossman offensive output to take the series and move to seven games above .500.

That number represents the new high-water mark for Texas and their 14-7 record keeps them on pace with the 2013 squad for the best start in the last decade.

Player of the Game: Grossman probably deserves to be here for smacking the three-run dong that gave deGrom all the cushion that he’d need while also driving in the fourth run for Texas on a sac fly and drawing two walks, but, I mean, Robbie Grossman is Robbie Grossman and Jacob deGrom is Jacob deGrom...

The Rangers gave deGrom an easy day of work after he had left his previous start with a sore wrist in the fourth inning. Even so, though he wasn’t exactly asked to push himself, deGrom still produced six innings of two-run (one earned) ball on three hits, zero walks, and 11 Ks in just 80 pitches. He’s pretty good.

Up Next: The Rangers head to Ohio for a series that will definitely determine once and for all which region has superior chili. RHP Nathan Eovaldi will start in the opener for Texas against left-handed strikeout artist Nick Lodolo for Cincinnati.

Monday’s opener from Great American Ball Park is scheduled for 5:40 pm CT and will be broadcast on BS Southwest.