Texas Rangers vs Toronto Blue Jays Picks and Predictions September 17th 2024

Rangers Lament What Went Wrong as Blue Jays Come to Town

The Texas Rangers, last year’s World Series champions, are very nearly missing the end of the season games in 2024. Their fantasies of consecutive titles have blurred, and presently they face the truth of completing out the standard season with only 12 games staying, beginning with a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

The Rangers (71-79) have been in a spiral, losing three continuous games and five of their last six, leaving them 8 1/2 games behind the last American League wild-card spot. The way to the postseason looks hopeless, and manager Bruce Bochy recognizes the battles, saying, “I wish I knew what the answer was. Obviously, I don’t have it figured out.”

The Challenge of Repeating as World Series Champions

Bochy, a four-time World Series champion as a manager, understands how difficult it is to win consecutive titles. With this season’s setbacks, the Rangers are learning that lesson firsthand.

“It shows how difficult it is to win a championship,” Bochy said. “To repeat, a lot of good things have to happen. You need your guys to have a similar year to the year before, you need to avoid injuries, and you need a surprise or two.”

The Rangers’ struggles on offense have been a major issue. After blasting 233 home runs during the 2023 regular season, the team has managed just 158 homers this year. Injuries, including a season-ending sports hernia for Corey Seager, have hurt their consistency. Seager played in 123 games this season, hitting 30 home runs, compared to his 119 games and 33 home runs last year.

“Our guys will tell you they haven’t had the years they had last year,” Bochy admitted. “We weren’t the same team offensively, and it’s hard to explain why. We just didn’t have that same slug as we did last year.”

Nathan Eovaldi Looks to Bounce Back for Rangers

The Rangers will send Nathan Eovaldi (11-8, 3.67 ERA) to the mound in the series opener. Eovaldi has been a steady presence for Texas this season, but in his most recent start last Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he struggled, allowing four runs and seven hits in five innings. The Rangers ultimately lost that game 6-0, snapping Eovaldi’s three-start winning streak.

“I felt like I wasn’t really locating my fastball and splitter (against Arizona), and those two pitches really cost me,” Eovaldi said. “It didn’t feel like I made as many adjustments as I should have. I got a little stubborn.”

Eovaldi will be looking to right the ship against the Blue Jays. In his career, Eovaldi has made 13 appearances (12 starts) against Toronto, compiling a 1-3 record with a 5.24 ERA.

Blue Jays’ Chris Bassitt Faces Off Against Rangers

The Toronto Blue Jays (72-78) are in a comparative situation to the Rangers, only one game ahead in the wild-card standings. They will go to Chris Bassitt (10-13, 4.20 ERA), who is falling off a great excursion against the New York Mets last Tuesday. Bassitt restricted the Mets to one run and five hits more than six innings while striking out eight in a 6-2 triumph.

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Bassitt, who played for the Mets in 2022, has gained appreciation around the league for his consistency and unwavering quality. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso lauded Bassitt, expressing, “Playing behind him, you know he will leave everything out there each and every time. There’s this familiar axiom in baseball, the best capacity of a player is accessibility. He’s out there each fifth day and leaves everything out there each and every time he tosses the stone.”

Bassitt has faced the Rangers 15 times in his career, including 11 starts, and holds a 5-3 record with a 3.72 ERA.

Blue Jays Riding a Three-Game Winning Streak

While the Rangers have struggled, the Blue Jays seem to be finding some momentum. After losing seven of nine games, they have won three in a row and are hoping to make a late push for the wild card. The series against Texas represents a crucial opportunity for both teams as they battle to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Key Players to Watch

• Nathan Eovaldi: The Rangers’ starter will need to be sharp if Texas wants to break out of its recent slump. After a rough outing against Arizona, Eovaldi will be looking for redemption in this key matchup.
• Chris Bassitt: Coming off a strong performance against the Mets, Bassitt will look to keep the momentum going and help the Blue Jays extend their winning streak. His ability to navigate the Rangers’ lineup will be pivotal.
• Corey Seager’s Absence: With Seager out for the rest of the season, the Rangers will need others to step up offensively. Players like Adolis García and Marcus Semien will be crucial in providing the offensive spark Texas needs.
• Rangers’ Offense: Texas has struggled with the long ball this season, and they’ll need their hitters to find their power stroke if they hope to compete against Bassitt and the Blue Jays’ pitching staff.

Rangers Look to Finish Strong

With just 12 games left in the season, the Rangers will mean to complete on a high note, notwithstanding the difficulties they’ve confronted for the current year. As Bruce Bochy said, “We need to wrap up playing our most ideal variant of baseball.” For Texas, that beginnings with the impending series against Toronto.

For the two groups, this series addresses an opportunity to keep their lessening season finisher trusts alive. The Rangers should recover their hostile sorcery from last year, while the Blue Jays will hope to expand on their new achievement and remain in the wild-card race.