The Texas Rangers have a problem ending losing streaks

Texas lost again this time to Boston 4-2. This loss comes after Cleveland finished off a sweep on Sunday with a 9-run fourth inning. Texas on Monday night still could not muster much of an offensive effort only scoring two runs. They have scored eight runs in this four-game losing streak. That comes after they scored 35 runs in the four-game sweep at Toronto.

It really highlights an issue that has plagued the Rangers since the All-Star break. Texas has had an issue keeping losing streaks at just one game. They eventually do stop the losing streaks and the trend has been to follow up long losing streaks with long winning streaks. The season continues to dwindle down and this team just cannot afford to lose four consecutive games. I want to look at the numbers behind this issue, why it might be happening, and what are the consequences of it continuing to happen.

The numbers that illustrate this problem.

Texas has now played 59 games since the All-Star break. Their record is now 30-29 since the break. They have just been about a .500 team now for the last two months. That is not a small sample size. They have been an incredibly streaky time in that time. They have three separate winning streaks of six or more games. They also have three losing streaks of three games or more.

The main number I want to really look at is their record following a loss since the All-Star break. This is the number that highlights their inability to first build their division lead back in August and now their inability to strengthen their hold on the wild card lead. Since the All-Star break their record following a loss is 8-19. Similarly, their record following a win is 20-9. This team knows how to continue winning and they know how to continue losing. They just are not very good at responding to a single loss and bouncing back with a win.

This type of Jekyll and Hyde behavior works when the team is winning. This team is just a likely to experience a six game winning streak in these last two weeks as they are a six-game losing streak and they might experience both in these final 12 games. I feel confident that Texas heading back home to play the Red Sox can bounce back and win this series. The concern comes against Seattle. If they lose the first game can they come back on Saturday and keep the series from spiraling out of control away from them?

Next: The reasons for why Texas has such an issue snapping these losing streaks

Why is this happening to the Texas Rangers?

I do not know if there is one reason that explains. I do think there are several reasons. First, injuries have clearly played a part. deGrom has missed nearly this entire season and will likely miss much of the 2024 season as well. Nathan Eovaldi did not pitch for most of this second half and is still being stretched out. Max Scherzer has pitched well, but for most of this month was complaining of forearm tightness and then went down with a shoulder muscle injury. They are missing players who are known as pitchers who stop losing streaks.

The second reason is the bullpen. The starting rotation is talented, but at this point cannot be relied upon to pitch more than six or seven innings. The bullpen continues to fail to close out games that would have ended losing streaks. That was the case on Saturday where Texas held a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning and the bullpen allowed two runs and Cleveland closed out the game in the ninth. Evan Grant had this stat on Monday night after the blown save cost Texas the game against the Red Sox.

That is a remarkable level of failure in the bullpen. It goes to show that this team can only win baseball games currently when the offense performs at a high level and keeps the bullpen from having to save a close game. If it is close late it is more likely than not that Texas will lose that game. That is maybe the biggest reason why this team is unable to easily end losing streaks.

Next: The answer to the question many fans are asking?