Rangers slapped with another round of injury woes at the worst possible time

It didn't look good when it happened, and the news wasn't great when it was received: after being hit by a pitch, Texas Rangers outfielder Michael Helman will be out for a while. For the team out of DFW, it couldn't have come at a worse time.

For starters, the injury was one of the last dominoes to fall in the short-lived time at the .500 mark. However, it was also something that took the wind out of the sails of pretty much everyone in the Rangers fan base. Before, people were just joking about how the team would be flirting around that mark but never actually get past it, and this recent stretch has made those jokes a little too realistic. What's more, the Rangers have also shown that their so-called Fenway Park curse is, in fact, real.

What's worse for Texas is that Helman hasn't been the only injury they've suffered on their road trip. Outfielder Evan Carter was placed on the 10-day IL due to a right oblique strain, and shortstop Corey Seager is once again day-to-day after a collision at home plate. On paper, many across the media and fans are likely to convince themselves with some delusions of grandeur; however, they might quickly find that it tastes a bit sour.

The latest injury for the Rangers might leave a sour taste in the mouth of its fanbase

The Rangers' recent stint at .500 wasn't their first of the season, but it was their first since May 1, when they beat the Detroit Tigers. That's something that just gets more and more frustrating the more one thinks about it. Why are they using so much energy to make so little progress? In 2026, it has always felt like one step forward, two steps back, and this recent loss in Boston might've solidified that fact.

Part of the frustration relates to the injury situation that has also left Texas stuck in the mud. When Corey Seager and Wyatt Langord came off the IL on June 5, it seemed as if the club was finally getting healthy, and only Josh Smith remained as a major piece on the IL. That should have helped them make a run in the weak American League.

But now the Carter is down, putting any hopes of a breakthrough on hold. Helman being laid up hits the depth. And as for Seager, things are very much up in the air. Once again, the Rangers are scrambling to paper over holes caused by injury.

While there's still a decent chunk of the season left to go, the outlook for it doesn't look promising. This stretch that they're in seemed very winnable before, and now they've come out of it bruised and battered. Who knows when the next win streak will be or even the next time the team will have a winning record? The last time they had one was all the way back in April, and it doesn't look like they'll have another one anytime soon.

Overall hopes of a division title have also dimmed, as the Rangers are also back in third place in the AL Central. One of the worst divisions in baseball, it's one that will likely only seed one team in the playoffs this year. Not good news for anyone in Arlington; this season might've just taken a turn for the worse.

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