The Texas Rangers are in the playoff hunt entering June, is it sustainable?

On Tuesday, the Texas Rangers played the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field in the final game of May, capping off a 17-10 month of May, their winningest month since 2019.

The Rangers defeated Tampa 3-0 in that game. With the win, the Rangers improved to 24-24 and got to .500 for the first time this season. The win also improved the Rangers’ odds at securing one of the three wild card spots in the AL, as they got within two games. Now, they enter the month of June in as good of a position as they’ve been in some time.

Texas, which started this season absolutely slow, is now starting to turn the corner as they are playing good baseball.  Many people predicted the Rangers to finish near the bottom of baseball once again this season, albeit improved, and the sluggish start only reaffirmed those suspicions. Now, though? They’re flirting with a playoff spot!

Texas Rangers enter June right in the thick of the AL Wild Card race

It remains to be seen if the Texas Rangers can sustain this success into the summer. But it’s at least encouraging that the team finds themselves right in the thick of it in June, which is more than they could say last year.

Players like Martin Perez, Kole Calhoun, Sam Huff and others have stepped up, giving the Rangers a boost. Their positive run differential is a sign of good baseball being played. But despite the improved play, the odds still go against Texas making the playoffs:

• Fangraphs: 8.0%
• PECOTA: 6.0%
• Division Odds (consensus): +10000

The key is not to be dismayed. Remember, the Rangers are still in their rebuilding process. Still, you can see this team making real progress at the big league level, while also having plenty of young prospects in their farm system that will come up soon.

We are still (relatively) early in the season, but the fact that the Rangers are at .500 to begin the month of June is making the rest of the season worth keeping an eye on, especially as they’ve done so against one of the hardest schedules in baseball to this point.

We’re not saying this team is playoff bound by any stretch, but cautious optimism as we enter the summer baseball months? We’ll allow it!