Rangers 7, Athletics 2
(Nate Miller)
ARLINGTON, Texas (Jul 21) — The Texas Rangers took their series opener against the Athletics, 7–2, Monday night. Josh Jung and Michael Helman went a long way in helping the Rangers’ cause. The Rangers and Athletics will face off again Tuesday night, with the Rangers going for their second straight series win. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm Central. Right-hander J.T. Ginn (1–2, 4.91 ERA) will take the hill for the Athletics with righty Jacob deGrom (9–2, 2.32 ERA) toeing the rubber for the Rangers.
Quick Flurry of Runs for the Rangers Outpaces Athletics
(Nate Miller) Both teams played Hot Potato with a giant zero for the first two and a half innings. The Rangers scored first in the bottom of the third off Athletics starter Jacob Lopez. Jung, who was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock prior to Monday’s game, led off with a home run to left-center.
The Athletics knotted it up in the top of the fourth off starter Jack Leiter. Nick Kurtz reached on a one-out double to center. Two batters later, Shea Langeliers drew a walk, bringing up Tyler Soderstrom. He scored Kurtz with a single to right.
The Rangers broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Josh Smith lined a single to center. Jung followed with a free pass. On deck was Cody Freeman, who doubled up the middle to drive in Smith for his first major league hit and RBI. Up next was Helman, who broke things open with his first major-league home run, a three-run blast to left.
The Athletics answered back in the top of the sixth with a leadoff opposite-field home run by Kurtz, his 19th of the season.
The Rangers added two runs in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Elvis Alvarado. Smith got things started with a double to right, his 17th of the year. He advanced to third on a single to center by Jung. On deck was Rowdy Tellez, hitting for Freeman. The Athletics countered this move by bringing in reliever Sean Newcomb, who struck out Tellez looking. Up next was Helman, who plated Smith with a sacrifice bunt back to Newcomb. Moments later, Jung crossed the plate thanks to a single to left by Corey Seager. This single extended Seager’s on-base streak to 22 consecutive games.
What Went Right for the Athletics
(Evan Thompson)
Defense
Lawrence Butler, playing center field in place of the injured Denzel Clarke, robbed Kyle Higashioka of a one-out homer in the bottom of the second. He leapt at the fence in front of the Athletics’ bullpen, reaching above the fenceline to snatch the ball out of the air. “I’m just trying to be Denzel,” Butler said. “He’s made multiple catches like that. (Mine) will probably rank at the bottom out of those catches he’s made. But it just feels good to be able to pull one back for (Lopez) and not let them get the early lead.”
Lopez said of the catch, “Lawrence making that great play in center field when he hasn’t really played much center field — (it was) awesome for him to be able to pick me up early.”
Created Scoring Chances
The Athletics had runners on in seven of the nine innings Monday…
What Went Wrong for the Athletics
Did Not Convert Most of the Scoring Chances
…but they stranded nine men on base. Two were in scoring position. Additionally, with runners in scoring position, they batted 1-for-6. “I don’t know how many were with two out,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said, “but the seventh inning was really the inning I thought we had a chance to climb back in. (Butler) tried to execute a bunt, and we didn’t get that down. (If he does, when) Jacob (Wilson) hits a fly ball to right, it’s a two-run game, and it’s a little bit tighter.”
Strikeouts
The Athletics struck out nine times Monday night. This brings their post-break team strikeout total to 34, with 14 coming Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians. “The strikeouts have been a part of the offense lately that we need to clean up a little bit,” Kotsay said. “We did a good job with it early but then climbed up the ladder a little bit more.”
The Fifth Inning
Lopez held the Rangers to one run through four and a third innings. But then he surrendered a single, a walk, a double, and a home run, in that order, to give the Rangers a 5–1 lead that they did not relinquish. “They just finally got to me,” a dejected Lopez said. “I felt like I was pretty bad from the get-go. Didn’t have my slider today. Bad fastball.” He mentioned the team tying the game after he gave up the third-inning solo homer then added, “Unfortunately, I went out there in the fifth and couldn’t continue to do decent.”
What Went Right for the Rangers
(Nate Miller) The Rangers were able to take advantage of an overwhelmed Athletics team on Tuesday. Whenever it looked as though the A’s would threaten, the Rangers went on the counter-attack. The home runs by Jung and Helman were big, but they weren’t the only factors.
Freeman made quite an impression on the crowd of 26,430 with his RBI double in the seventh.
What Went Wrong for the Rangers
The Rangers had their hands full with Kurtz the whole night. Kurtz doubled and scored in the fourth, and he homered in the sixth.
Pitching Comparisons for Rangers and Athletics
Rangers: Six Wins for Leiter
Leiter pitched into the seventh inning to earn his sixth win of 2025 and log his fourth career quality start. His line was 6+ IP, 4 H, 2 R-ER, 4 BB, 7 SO, 1 HR, 95 pitches/57 strikes, all of which have come this season. He needed 33 pitches to complete three innings, his second-lowest total through three stanzas in his 23 career starts.
Lester battled through a 20-pitch fourth frame and allowed the solo homer to Kurtz in the sixth. Leiter has won back-to-back starts for the second time in his career and has received five runs of support in consecutive outings after being supplied with five runs once in his first 14 starts of ‘25. His record for 2025 now sits at 6–6 with an ERA of 4.27.
Athletics: Tough Night for Lopez
Athletics starter Jacob Lopez drew his sixth loss of the season Monday in his 15th appearance/11th start of 2025. His line was 5 IP, 4 H, 5 R-ER, 3 BB, 6 SO, 2 HR, 93 pitches/53 strikes. Lopez faced one batter over the minimum through his first two innings before allowing the solo shot to Jung in the third to break the scoreless tie. He now owns a record of 3–6 with an ERA of 4.60.
“Can’t Hit a Watermelon on a Tee Right Now”
(Evan Thompson) Butler, mired in an 0-for-13 spell since returning from the All-Star Break, feels that defense has been the only way he’s been able to contribute positively to the Athletics recently. “I can’t hit a watermelon on a tee right now,” he said frankly, “so I’m just trying to do my best and play some good defense for the team.”
When asked how he has felt at the plate since the break and whether he’s made any adjustments, he replied in a downtrodden manner, “I feel terrible. I’m not really hitting anything for real right now. But it’s baseball, so hopefully one day I’ll turn it around. I pretty much haven’t done anything to help the team at the plate.”
Postgame Comments
(Nate Miller) Taking his usual seat in the interview room after the game, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy reflected on Jung’s return to the team. “First of all, it’s good to have him back,” he said. “It’s not easy to accept what happened going down there, trying to get him reset. I’m sure there was some confidence shaking. That’s the human part of this game. He went down there to work, and we just said at this point we need him up here. We need him and his presence. I thought it was big for him to have a great start.”
(Evan Thompson) “Leiter threw the ball probably as well as he could early. Didn’t make many mistakes. He was line to line. Those are some tough innings, but we still had our opportunities.” — Athletics manager Mark Kotsay
Quick Hits
(Evan Thompson) Clarke will go on the injured list Tuesday with a Grade 2 Strained Adductor, according to Kotsay. He said pregame that the corresponding move will be announced at that time. … Athletics third baseman Max Muncy had to leave the game in the middle of the sixth inning. He took a Leiter fastball off the hand in the top half. Kotsay said x-rays were negative, but there is still swelling, and they will see how the hand is doing Tuesday.
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