Rangers Update: That Didn't Really Work, Did It? Edition

 So...I could have probably predicted this, but, here: The Rangers signed four big pieces prior to the season: Corey Seager, Jon Gray, Marcus Semien and Kole Calhoun. Right now Gray's injured, Semien isn't hitting and Calhoun's hitting .200. Seager is hitting .259 with 14 hits and 8 RBIs. And even with all of this, the team only has 5 wins.

I don't know why teams keep expecting immediate success from this model. You build the team then you add the contracts, not vice versa. 

What's at least reassuring about this Rangers team is that some of the slowly expanding core is actually doing something. Nate Lowe, much like last April, is off to a nice start. These kids they have, like Jonah Heim, Andy Ibañez, Nick Solak and Eli White, aren't doing anything earthshattering, but they're keeping things moving, doing a decent job. It's a very low-key, not flashy at all core of a team, doing fine. And fitting that with these flashy free agents, like Marcus Semien and Kole Calhoun, isn't a great fit. It'd be great if Semien was hitting like he was the last few seasons, but he's under .200 and struggling. 

I think more of a preview of how the Rangers should be rehabbing their roster is the rotation. Jon Gray is injured, but even when healthy he acts as a lower-key, handy piece to build around. You also have a a couple of cheap free agents like Martin Perez and Garrett Richards who don't have to own the rotation but can keep it going [Perez is doing well, Richards is mostly out of the 'pen]. And then they can build the younger people up. Then there's less pressure on Dane Dunning and Taylor Hearn to succeed immediately, and it allows newer prospects like Glenn Otto to wow people who aren't expecting them. 

Still, the team's a mess, and putting some free agents on top of it isn't solving the problems immediately. Perhaps they'll blossom over time and maybe more of a long-game plan, like the Phillies I suppose, but...with the Angels, Astros and Mariners doing better than them right now, it's not the greatest look, even with Seager playing like his usual self.

Coming Tomorrow- A guy who, for the first time since 2017, is staying on a team for more than one season, and is also currently leading the league in home runs and RBIs.