With almost every playoff contender enduring struggles since the All-Star break, there remains plenty to resolve in the waning weeks of the Major League Baseball season.
But one thing’s almost certain: For the 24th consecutive season, there won’t be a repeat champion.
The Texas Rangers squared off with a pair of would-be playoff clubs this past week and got flattened, losing two of three games at Boston’s Fenway Park before returning home and blowing four leads against the Minnesota Twins, losing three of the games. And now, it’s virtually impossible for the 57-68 club to qualify for the postseason.
The Rangers sank to No. 23 in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings, befitting a club that now ranks 11th in the American League – now trailing the white-flag Toronto Blue Jays, even – and is 13 games out of a playoff spot. Their chances of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs, is 0.2%.
So it goes for manager Bruce Bochy, who won three titles with the San Francisco Giants a decade ago, but in an every-other-year pattern that illustrated how difficult it is to go back-to-back. This time around, pitching injuries and some semi-expected regression from regulars is largely to blame. After winning 90 games and the World Series last season, the club would do well to scrap to .500 by season’s end.
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But chances of a repeat are virtually gone.
A look at our updated rankings:
1. Philadelphia Phillies (+2)
Cristopher Sanchez rebounds with complete-game effort.
2. New York Yankees (+1)
Jasson Dominguez returned to majors for first time in nearly a year, as 27th man for Little League Classic.
3. Baltimore Orioles (-2)
Gunnar Henderson awakening: Four homers in his last five games after just one in his previous 23.
4. Cleveland Guardians (-)
Emmanuel Clase saves four consecutive games, now has 37 and a 0.64 ERA.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
Shohei Ohtani hitting home runs yet not hitting – seven homers, .174 average this month.
6. Milwaukee Brewers (-)
Lead now 11 games over Cardinals – biggest among division leaders.
7. Minnesota Twins (-)
Thirty-three come-from-behind wins.
8. San Diego Padres (-)
Tied a franchise record by winning eight consecutive series.
9. Kansas City Royals (-)
Bobby Witt Jr. joins Bo Jackson, Carlos Beltran as only Royals with consecutive 25-25 seasons.
10. Arizona Diamondbacks (-)
Lose first series since June, in Tampa Bay.
11. Houston Astros (-)
Justin Verlander set to return Wednesday.
12. Boston Red Sox (-)
As Triston Casas and Tyler O’Neill return, lineup pretty much whole for first time since April.
13. Atlanta Braves (-)
A 6-1 West Coast road swing steadies the ship for now.
14. New York Mets (+1)
A .500 week against Oakland, Miami ain’t gonna get it done.
15. Seattle Mariners (-1)
From 10 up to four back in exactly two months.
16. Tampa Bay Rays (+2)
Jose Siri benched for three straight games after hustle issue.
17. San Francisco Giants (-1)
They fold in showdown series vs. Braves, scoring five runs in three losses.
18. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)
Class AA starter Quinn Mathews leads minors with 168 strikeouts.
19. Chicago Cubs (-)
Return to Cleveland for first time since 2016. Just a few things have changed since.
20. Detroit Tigers (+3)
Spoiler role may suit them, as Mariners, Yankees found out.
21. Cincinnati Reds (+1)
Hunter Greene’s barking elbow further dampens playoff flame.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates (-2)
Andrew McCutchen hits the IL with knee inflammation.
23. Texas Rangers (-2)
Jacob deGrom to make rehab start(s).
24. Toronto Blue Jays (-)
Joey Loperfido hits his first home run as a Jay.
25. Washington Nationals (-)
CJ Abrams matches Elly De La Cruz with five three-steal games since 2023.
26. Oakland Athletics (+1)
Osvaldo Bido – the Osvaldo Bido – has tossed six scoreless innings in two straight starts.
27. Los Angeles Angels (-1)
Christian Moore, drafted last month, puts up 11-for-20 week in Class AA.
28. Miami Marlins (-)
Xavier Edwards has 11 multi-hit games since All-Star break.
29. Colorado Rockies (-)
Elias Díaz goes from All-Star Game MVP to released in 13 months.
30. Chicago White Sox (-)
2-6 in Grady Sizemore era. Hey, it’s a little bit better.
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