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Additions solidify Rangers’ claim atop AL
- Updated: August 22, 2016
ST. PETERSBURG — Prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, the Texas Rangers were a good team. Since then, they’ve become arguably the best team in the American League.
Even after losing two games to the last-place Rays over the weekend, the Rangers still have the AL’s best record, and they are in the driver’s seat to repeat as AL West champions.
Give general manager Jon Daniels credit for realizing if Texas is to go deep into the postseason (it was ousted by Toronto in the 2015 AL Division Series), some holes had to be filled. The crafty GM landed veteran outfielder/designated hitter Carlos Beltran from the Yankees and obtained National League All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy and right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress from the Brewers.
• Jeffress makes strides while taking on epilepsy
Another strong move by Daniels was the acquisition of free-agent infielder/outfielder Ian Desmond on the last day of February. Desmond, passed over by several teams, is batting .292 with 20 homers and 74 RBIs.
If there is a question mark about this team, it’s the starting pitching. After Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish, there is concern. A.J. Griffin (5-3, 4.68 ERA) and Martin Perez (8-9, 4.27 ERA) were the losing pitchers in the three-game series at Tropicana Field over the weekend.
Derek Holland, who tallied 38 of his 60 career wins for the Rangers from 2011-13, has been on the disabled list since June 21. He is scheduled to return to the rotation and face the Reds on Tuesday night.
“We just need for Derek to go out and be Derek Holland … and be the best version of the 2016 Derek Holland he can be,” said manager Jeff Banister. “He doesn’t need to recapture ’12, or whatever it was.”
For Perez, it could be a matter of being homesick. At Globe Life Park, his 2.36 ERA over 13 starts is the lowest in the AL among qualifying pitchers. He’s 1-8 on the road with a 6.23 ERA in the same amount of outings.
“I don’t know why,” Perez told MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan. “I have the same focus and the same hunger on the road and home. I …
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