Texas Rangers: Taking stock of 2021’s 60-game sample size

We’ve played roughly 60 games in 2021 (61 for the Texas Rangers, to be exact), which means about one-third of the season schedule has played out. Can you believe it?

Time flies even during a rebuild.

Much feels different about this year’s Texas Rangers squad (more on this later), and yet much also feels the same. For example, the team’s record through 61 contests in 2021 is 23-38. In 2020, it was 22-38 during the short season.

For an exact 60-game comparison in 2021, this team’s record was 23-37, just a mere one game improvement over 2020.

On the surface, this may not appear to say much, or it may reveal a lot depending on your point of view. In regard to the former, the near-identical records might indicate to some that this team hasn’t advanced from last year’s plain bad showing. With respect to the latter, however, much has occurred beneath what the win-loss column suggests. This is what’s important.

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Don’t let looks deceive you.

It’s hard to reach a lower point than this team’s 2020. That roster had a myriad of injuries to premier players, aging veterans who seemed out of gas and bursts of promise by season’s end, but nothing really tangible.

The 22-38 2020 campaign finished with a whimper rather than a flourish, despite the debuts of the likes of Sam Huff, Anderson Tejeda, Leody Taveras and others.

There was also no MLB draft to look forward to, no real assets to trade at a summer deadline and no significant progress of young talent (the MiLB season was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic).

Fast forward 60 games into the season in 2021, and the Texas Rangers’ future couldn’t be brighter.

The win-loss column doesn’t tell the whole story of the 2021 Texas Rangers.

Firstly, this team has some real talent. Adolis Garcia is a budding star, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Nate Lowe, Nick Solak and Joey Gallo are legitimate regulars who have shined in various capacities this season.

On the pitching side, ace Kyle Gibson has miraculously become trade bait, as has closer Ian Kennedy. Even some of the other bullpen arms including Joely Rodriguez, Demarcus Evans, John King and others have flashed their promise.

July 30 should be an active selling day for the Rangers, who not only have players to trade, but can expect to receive some substance in return for those players. They couldn’t say that last season.

The 2021 MLB Draft is also this July, and Texas holds the No. 2 overall pick, a selection they could use on a player like Vandy RHP Jack Leiter. When’s the last time this organization had a chance to pick a high-end talent like Leiter? Not before, during or just after 2020, that’s for sure.

The Rangers are on pace for another top-five selection in 2022 if this season continues along its current pace. Another opportunity to select a franchise-altering talent, perhaps an Elijah Greene.

If that’s not enough to convince you, consider all the prospect advancement and minor league success we’ve had a chance to witness in 2021. Cole Winn is dominating AA Frisco. Pitchers Jake Latz and Cole Ragans are thriving too. Don’t forget about crushin’ Curtis Terry at AAA Round Rock and Luisangel Acuna in low-A ball, among many others.

It’s all coming together for the Texas Rangers as an organization.

Perhaps most important of all, though? Hiring Chris Young as this team’s GM this past winter, changing the front office culture and taking all the right steps towards getting the most out of this rebuild.

Speaking of said rebuild, it appears to be working according to plan.

So the next time you look at the crooked Texas Rangers W-L number in the standings, just remember the purpose its serving, and how well it’s looking in the interim.

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The win-loss column doesn’t tell the whole story of the 2021 Texas Rangers.

Schedule