The Best All-Star Performances in Texas Rangers History

The Top 5 Texas Rangers All-Star Performances in franchise history

4. Ivan Rodriguez, 1998 All-Star Game

Pudge entered the 1998 midsummer classic with an insane .350 batting average, and was the starting catcher for the AL squad. In what would go on to be the highest scoring All-Star game in history, another record was set. Pudge would go on to hit three singles and drive in one run, as his three hits would go on to be a record for a catcher.

Rodriguez’s final hit drove in Jim Thome and extended the lead for the AL and they never looked back, winning the game 13-8.

While not other-worldly, Rodriguez’s performance was the epitome of what he was for the Rangers: solid, and exactly what his team needed.

The Top 5 Texas Rangers All-Star Performances in franchise history

3. Alfonso Soriano, 2004 All-Star MVP

Strolling into the 2004 All-Star game as a starter was Alfonso Soriano, sporting a .289 average and 17 dingers, as he was enjoying his first season as a Ranger after he was traded to Texas for Alex Rodriguez.

Soriano would bat 8th in a high-powered lineup that featured numerous hall of famers, but it was Soriano who would provide the spark the AL team needed. Propelling the AL to victory, Soriano would go two for three with a home run, while driving in three runs.

He would later be crowned All-Star Game MVP, while the AL won the game 9-4.

The Top 5 Texas Rangers All-Star Performances in franchise history

2. Michael Young, 2006 All-Star MVP, and 2008 All-Star Game

You might as well call Michael Young “Captain Clutch” for his performances in two separate All-Star appearances.

Voted in as a reserve and not a starter in each of the two seasons, Young outperformed expectations like he always seemed to do throughout his career. First in 2006, Young was awarded MVP honors, as he came up to bat in the top of the 9th inning with his team down 2-1 and hit a two-strike triple and driving in two runs, the second of which being the go-ahead run. Thus winning the game for the American League squad.

Then, in 2008, during the last All-Star game to be played at old Yankee Stadium, it was Young again who played hero. In what was the longest game in All-Star history, Michael Young came to the plate in the 15th inning, at well past one in the morning, Young hit a walk-off sacrifice fly, giving the win to the American League. You can see Young’s walk-off here and his go-ahead triple here.

The Top 5 Texas Rangers All-Star Performances in franchise history

1. Josh Hamilton, 2008 Home Run Derby

The one that takes the top ranking for the best performance during the All-Star festivities is clearly Josh Hamilton’s magical home run derby performance in 2008.

Heading into the derby, Hamilton was hitting .321 with 21 home runs and was quickly becoming one of the premier players in all of the league. Upon receiving a home run derby invite Josh Hamilton did not disappoint. Under the bright lights of the house that Ruth built, Hamilton would go on to give the crowd a showing of a lifetime. “back, back, back” yelled Chris Berman time and time again, as fans watched Hamilton pelt home run after home run, eventually ending with a record of 28 home runs in the first round.

While Hamilton would eventually tire out and lose the home run derby in the final round, it was one of the most memorable performances an athlete has ever had, and he did it under the brightest lights of the sport. Check out the memorable moment here.

These are only some of the phenomenal performances of Texas Rangers All-Stars, and hopefully as the Rangers start competing more here in the future, we can see many more performances like these.