Texas Rangers: 4 encouraging signs from the Rangers in 2nd half opener

The fans know all of the numbers by now from that last month before the All-Star break. The team played 30 games in 31 days, had a 12-19 record including a 2-4 record on the road trip that led into the break. The offense was struggling to get hits with runners in scoring position and the pitching staff struggled to keep runs from scoring. The team needed the break so that they could fully recharge their batteries.

It was time to get back to work on Friday night against the Cleveland Guardians. How this team was going to respond was a complete unknown. I would say after a 12-4 win that the team we saw in the first 60 games is still there and is ready to go forward in the second half. There were several encouraging signs from last night's game, but I really want to focus on these four that not only helped them win last night but are good indicators of how the second half is going to play out.

Red-Hot Lowe Summer

The temperatures are boiling hot in and around North Texas and that must mean it is time for the Silver Slugger award-winning Nathaniel Lowe to show up. His first half was far from disappointing, but it was certainly not the Lowe that we saw in the second half for much of last season. It was not the Lowe that won the Silver Slugger award. That all changed on Friday night for Lowe as he looked more like the dominant hitter that Texas needs hitting in that number three hole.

Lowe last night finished 4-4 on the game, with a home run, a double, and two singles. Everything he hit last night had an exit velocity of over 100 mph. That is the Lowe that Texas needs if they are going to be successful. They need Lowe to be aggressive with pitches and spraying the ball with authority from gap to gap. He finished the night like I said with four hits, but also with one RBI and a walk as well. He reached base in all five plate appearances last night and was a driving force for the success of the offense.