ARLINGTON — In a search for offensive consistency again, the Texas Rangers will once again play a game of tweak-the-lineup.
“I’ll go as they go in certain positions,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Sunday morning, “with who’s swinging the bat well.”
Right fielder Adolis García, who’s been dropped from his usual cleanup spot in each of the three games vs. Philadelphia, is among those who’ve not swung well as of late. He’s slashed .210/.258/.355 with 17 strikeouts in his last 15 games, hit sixth in the series’ first two games vs. the Phillies and batted fifth Sunday vs. right-hander Zack Wheeler.
García‘s struggles were most on display in Wednesday’s series finale vs. the New York Yankees, in which he recorded inning-ending outs with a runner in scoring position four times. To make a significant change to the heart of their order, though, the Rangers need to believe they have a demonstratively better option.
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They hit outfielder Wyatt Langford (whose .729 OPS since July 1 is the second-best among qualified Texas hitters) in the four-hole against two left-handed starters Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, vs. Wheeler, the Rangers opted to bat designated hitter Joc Pederson in the cleanup spot.
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It was Pederson’s 15th start in cleanup this season and his first since May 10 vs. the Detroit Tigers. Bochy acknowledged that he’s seen a “different look” about Pederson since he first began to ramp up after a broken hand sidelined him for two months. The 33-year-old reached base safely in six consecutive plate appearances in a three-game series vs. the New York Yankees and hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Monday’s win.
“I think he’s in a good place now with his timing,” Bochy said. “Getting good swings off — that’s what you’re looking for.”
That’s what the Rangers need.
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