Texas Rangers Continue to Climb FSMLB Power Rankings

As the Texas Rangers continue to win, they continue to climb the FanSided MLB Power Rankings although a little slower than they had been climbing previously. The Rangers jump just one spot from 24th overall to 23rd sitting right behind division rival Seattle Mariners. The Rangers were once one of the lowest ranked teams in all of baseball and with the help of a solid lineup and consistent starting pitching are slowly pulling themselves into the conversation.

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A key factor of this success is the an offense that has turned from one of the worst in baseball to one of the best. The Rangers were second to last in the month of April with a .611 OPS and have jumped nearly 200 points to a .810 OPS for the month of May so far. This increased is leading to more runs as the Rangers increased their runs per game from 3.57 in April to 5.26 in May.

At the forefront of this offensive outburst is the return of Mitch Moreland (.318/.362/.614 in May) along wtih strong May performances from Prince Fielder (.380/.437/.663) and Shin-Soo Choo (.320/.361/.610). The lineup is about to get deeper with today’s addition of Josh Hamilton to the lineup who is sure to be a threat to pitchers with the protection of the rest of this lineup.

May 17, 2015; Frisco, Tx, USA; Frisco RoughRiders designated hitter Josh Hamilton (32) bats in the first inning against the Corpus Christi Hooks at Dr. Pepper Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The pitching staff has maintained the same type of success they had in April with inconsistent play overall but key performances from different individuals. The team ERA improved slightly from 4.18 to 4.11 with the main difference being an improved record from 7-14 to 14-9 in May. With consistency coming from the pitching staff, with several problems mixed in, will allow the hot hitting this team has experienced to drop off but still continue to win games. Hamilton will make this lineup stronger from top to bottom and allow more protection for the hitters like Fielder to see the better pitches than other teams will want to throw.

Looking around the division, the surging Houston Astros continued their hot streak and jumped from 8th up to the number 5 spot. The Los Angeles Angels also jumped in the rankings, moving from the number 18 spot all the way up to 13th. As mentioned above, the Mariners are ranked one spot ahead of the Rangers after remaining ranked 22nd overall. The only team in the American League West was the Oakland Athletics who have continued to struggle and have dropped one spot from 26th to 27th overall.

Even if the Rangers are not able to maintain this high level of play, they are putting themselves in a good position that could allow them to remain in the playoff picture for longer than had been originally anticipated. The addition of Hamilton will provide both excitement for Rangers fans but should allow this team to continue to climb.

Next: Can the Texas Rangers Continue Recent Surge With Josh Hamilton's Addition?