Texas Rangers News: Defense falters, Hit streaks, Extra innings, more

The Rangers started off a crucial West Coast road trip in the exact opposite fashion they needed to, finding a way to fall to the Padres 3-2 in extra innings.

At 43-45, Texas desperately needs to make up ground in the playoff race and this trip is their best shot.

Rangers' defense falters in series opener

A usually solid part of the Rangers' game is their defense but unfortunately that wasn't the case during Friday's July 4 game in San Diego, which played a major part in the loss.

Starting in the sixth inning, up 2-1, Fernando Tatis led off the inning with a fly ball that Adolis Garcia misplayed and turned into a triple. Later in the inning Luis Arraez's single tied the game at two where it remained until a Padres' walk-off.

Then, although less impactful, Jake Burger couldn't snag a grounder that same inning which could've been at least one out and keeping the inning alive for another two batters. Then in the ninth, Josh Smith couldn't grab a ball in shallow left that dropped in fair for a double. Those two didn't have any direct impact on the game thankfully, other than making their pitchers throw a few extra pitches.

Seager and Semien are on fire right now

The two middle infielders are the glue of this offense and it was always assumed that when they were able to piece together success, the offense would flow alongside. That has sorta been the case but it hasn't turned into a ton of wins.

Regardless, both entered Friday's contest in the middle of an eight-game hit streak that they were both able to convert to nine games. During this stretch, Seager is 11-for-33 (.333) with four homers, eight RBIs and two doubles. Semien is 14-for-40 (.350) with two homers, 10 RBIs and three doubles.

Then as a team in the last nine games, Texas has a 6-3 record and has managed to score runs in bulk despite suffering a handful of heartbreakers in extra innings.

Rangers experiencing fair share of extra inning ballgames

It seems the theme over the last week or so has been extra inning ballgames.

Texas has managed to find themselves in extra innings in six of their last nine games. Worst of all, they have a 2-4 record and have managed to waste valuable opportunities such as the ghost runners that start each inning off at second base.

It started with a 6-5 win against Baltimore on June 24, moved to all three Seattle games from June 27-29 going extras and losing that series 1-2, then ended with Friday's lost to San Diego in the 10th inning.

Expected to get much-needed reinforcements

After serving his time on the IL and rehabbing with Double-A Frisco on Thursday, outfielder Wyatt Langford joined the team in San Diego and is expected to be activated for game two on Saturday.

The 23-year-old has been sidelined with a left oblique injury since June 25 and in Thursday's rehab game in Frisco he took a pitch dead center for a home run.

Langford is still one of their best producers but is without a doubt having a down season. In 67 games, he's hitting .232 with 13 longballs, 31 runs batted in, 10 doubles and 11 stolen bases. What has been up for him this season though has been the strikeout numbers. Currently he has a 20% strikeout rate, which was 57% last season.