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The Texas Rangers entered the 2024 season on top of the baseball world, fresh off their magical 2023World Series win. However, the team's dreams of defending their championship came to a screeching halt as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention with eight games left in the regular season. Instead of competing for another title, the Rangers now face the harsh reality of a losing season, expected to finish well under .500.
The Rangers' dramatic decline is a case study in how quickly the landscape can shift in Major League Baseball. Injuries and underperformance ravaged the team, leading to a disappointing third-place finish in the AL West. Just a year ago, they dominated the playoffs, winning 11 of 15 games, including sweeping both the Tampa Bay Rays and the 101-win Baltimore Orioles. In 2023, everything seemed to click. In 2024, everything seemed to fall apart.
One of the biggest factors in the Rangers' disappointing 2024 season was the devastating number of injuries to key players. Star shortstop Corey Seager, the 2023 World Series MVP, spent much of the season on the injured list, managing only 123 games. The pitching rotation, so crucial to their success the previous year, also fell apart. Max Scherzer made only nine starts before going down, while Jacob deGrom returned late in the season for just two starts after missing most of the year. Jon Gray, a key rotation piece, was limited to 19 starts, forcing the Rangers to rely on underwhelming replacements like Dane Dunning, who struggled with a 5.38 ERA.
Even the players who stayed relatively healthy could not replicate their 2023 form. Outfielder Adolis Garcia, who had a breakout season in 2023 and was a playoff hero, saw his performance plummet in 2024. He went from a 4.6 WAR season to a negative WAR (-0.3), contributing to the Rangers' offensive struggles. Leody Taveras, another key contributor in 2023, also saw a significant drop in production, falling from 2.4 WAR to just 0.9.
A stark reminder of baseball's unpredictability
The Rangers' rapid decline underscores the unpredictable nature of baseball, where success can be fleeting and often comes down to luck, health, and timing. In 2023, everything fell into place. Bruce Bochy's leadership was praised, and players like Garcia and Seager got hot at the right moment. But in 2024, Bochy's steady hand couldn't prevent a string of bad luck from derailing the team.
This season serves as a reminder that, despite skill and preparation, so much of success in baseball comes down to timing and chance. Teams can only build depth, hope for good health, and wait for the postseason magic to strike again.