The Texas Rangers entered Tuesday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks 61-59. In what could be his last year as a manager, the Rangers tried to go all-in for Bruce Bochy. They pulled off one of the trade deadline’s more interesting moves when they traded for Merrill Kelly. The former Arizona Diamondbacks starter joined a rotation featuring Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.
Texas has hovered around .500 for the majority of the season. Different issues have held the team back, ranging from injuries to a questionable bullpen. The addition of Kelly from the Diamondbacks showed the rest of the league the team’s direction. The Rangers believe they can contend with their current roster. To their credit, Texas has put together massive wins this season.
One of the Rangers’ biggest issues this season is their consistency. The team’s inability to string wins together has frustrated Bochy to no end. The Texas manager has been ejected multiple times this season while fighting for his team. Unfortunately, his efforts have not translated in a big winning streak. Every time the team looks like they’re ready to contend, something goes wrong.
Despite their struggles, the Rangers still have multiple paths to the postseason. They trail the American League West leader by 6.5 games and are just 2.5 out of the last AL Wild Card spot. With just over 30 games left in the regular season, Texas has plenty of time to close the gap. Having a pitcher like Kelly in the rotation gives them three potentially dominant starters each week.
Most seasons, championships are won and lost at the trade deadline. The Rangers’ move for Kelly was their way of pushing their chips to the middle of the table. They hope their new starting pitcher is the key to a rebound.
Kelly forms an intimidating trio with deGrom, Eovaldi
deGrom made a triumphant return to the All-Star Game this season. Eovaldi failed to join him, but the Rangers treated him like one. Without their top two starters, there is no telling where the Rangers would be. Luckily for them, Texas has two of the league’s most formidable arms on its rotation. Unfortunately, the depth behind them was terrible before the trade deadline.
Before he went on the Rangers’ injured list, Tyler Mahle was serviceable. Outside of him, Texas had no real options when it came to starting pitching. Since joined the team, though, Kelly has given Bochy another playoff proven arm that he can rely on. The former All-Star is still getting adjusted to his new team. However, he is dominant when comfortable in a start.
The main conversation surrounding the Rangers’ bullpen right now is who the Game 1 starter should be. For now, Texas is worried about getting into the postseason. Kelly gives them a much better chance to do that, carrying a 9-7 record and a 3.38 ERA into his next start. Bochy has a new weapon at his disposal and could use it to find his way into the playoffs.
Kelly’s postseason dominance gives Texas an edge
Kelly has four postseason starts under his belt, all with Arizona in 2023. He went 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA as the Diamondbacks made it to the World Series. He, Zac Gallen, and Brandon Pfaadt led the rotation all the why to the final round from the pitcher’s mound. It is that kind of success in the postseason that can put the Rangers over the top.
Eovaldi was even more dominant than Kelly during the same postseason. deGrom, on the other hand, has not pitched in a playoff game since 2022. Despite the relative lack of experience, all three starters are capable of shutting a postseason opponent down. Bochy could comfortably get through an American League Wild Card season no matter what order he sends the trio out in.
Kelly has what it takes to be a key piece to any playoff rotation. The difference between the Diamondbacks and the Rangers is a big one, though. Bochy doesn’t need him to be an ace in Texas. All he needs is the version of Kelly that most of the league wanted to trade for at the deadline. If he gets that, the Rangers could ride their starters into the postseason and to a World Series title.
Kelly can relieve pressure off of the Rangers’ bullpen
Kelly came in to the Rangers’ organization to help the starting rotation. However, he has a chance to help Bochy’s entire pitching staff. In a year where starters are pitching less than ever, Kelly’s addition helps a lot. If he can work deeper into his starts, he can relieve Texas’ bullpen from a heavy workload. Doing so gives the Rangers less opportunity to blow leads late in games.
Texas’ current closer, Robert Garcia, has had issues all season. He has cost Bochy a few games thanks to blunders in the ninth inning. In a season where the Rangers have been around .500 for months, each one of those losses hurts even more than usual. The Rangers brought in Phil Maton from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline, but it might not be enough.
Bochy doesn’t have a lot of places to turn to outside of Garcia. His lack of options leaves the Rangers with little other options. However, Kelly’s arrival changes a lot of things in Texas. If he is successful, the team is fully capable of going on a run that puts them into the postseason. Kelly’s success or lack thereof will have a large say in how much longer Texas’ season lasts.
