Heim to Pretend

 

There were two division leads that immediately worried me going into the second half, as I worried they'd be snapped at by oncoming competitors. One of them has, the Reds have been stuffed back to 2nd thanks to this series with the Brewers. The other one was the AL West, I was worried the Astros would lap the Rangers and that would be the season, but not the case. The Astros had a somewhat close series with Anaheim, while the Rangers swept the Guardians and cemented their 3 game lead. 

Oh yeah and also the Rays' lead over the AL East, but like...I'm fine if the O's keep inching up. You know, that one doesn't bother me as much for some reason..

The Rangers' pure outscoring has calmed itself a bit since May, but they've still put up 10 or more points four times in the last month, including right at the beginning of the second half. They still have 7 guys with 40 or more RBIs, including Adolis Garcia, who currently has 80 of them, which is honestly pretty insane. It's incredible to me that Jonah Heim has 60 RBIs, and has become such a confident, formidable hitting catcher. I initially didn't think he'd warranted the ASG start, but with the season he's having, and the way he's come into his own, I completely get it. On a team that's bought many of its biggest performers, Heim was developed post-trade, a lot like Garcia, Duran and Lowe. It's a little ironic that Heim was traded from Oakland with the knowledge he'd be backing up Sean Murphy, only for Murphy to be traded himself and start an ASG against him. 

I think the main issue this team's been facing lately is the trailing off of rotation depth, which is ironic considering how the rotation looked entering the season. Right now behind Eovaldi, Dunning and Gray there's a steep drop-off, as Andrew Heaney and Martin Perez are doing just okay. Both healthy, yes, which can't be said for Odorizzi or deGrom, but both with ERAs over 4. Then there is this Cody Bradford character, who's done well enough but is still wet behind the ears as a starter, whenever he's been given that opportunity. Heaney and Perez are decent enough but not perfect this year. That may be where people are catching up.

But at the same time, the Rangers have to play the Rays this week, and the Rays have arguably had even worse troubles with the back half of their rotation. They are gaining Shane McClanahan again, but will this be the same guy who felt unstoppable in the first half [I am writing this Monday night and, uh, yeah probably]. But they still have to pitch Taj Bradley and a lesser Tyler Glasnow, and are just trying to salvage Zach Eflin's season after people have begun to hit him. It's an evenly matched series, even if the Rays seem to have an advantage as I write this.

I still think the Rangers have a lot to work with this season, but they need to still stay ahead in these tough series' up ahead, or else we'll have yet another Astros bye year, and I don't wanna go through that again.

Coming Tonight: Another All-Star guy I didn't do before the break.