Right on Rangers

Tonight on live:

The Rangers did not just lose to the Twins. They got buried early, and the details are worse than the score.

Kumar Rocker got ambushed right away. Trevor Larnach opened the game with a 425-foot homer, Josh Bell singled home Byron Buxton later in the first, and Kody Clemens cracked the game open with a 3-run shot in the third.

Then the fourth inning turned into the crime scene. Royce Lewis singled home two. Josh Bell doubled to right, Brandon Nimmo’s throwing error made it worse, and Luke Keaschall’s RBI single pushed Minnesota to 10-0 before Texas had even found a pulse.

The other problem was Zebby Matthews. He came in with a 5.20 ERA and gave Minnesota 7 innings with 0 walks. Texas had 8 hits, but only 10 total bases and no homers. That is a lot of contact with very little danger attached.

Corey Seager being out matters. Of course it matters. But Seager being on the 7-day IL cannot explain away letting Matthews cruise with no walks while the Twins are turning the middle innings into batting practice.

So tonight we’re talking Rocker, the defensive mess, the Seager-sized hole, and the bigger issue: this offense keeps asking the pitching staff to be perfect, then disappears when the game asks for a counterpunch.

Chat question: What bothers you most tonight: Rocker getting hit, Matthews walking nobody, or the defense turning a bad night into a disaster?

Kyle Higashioka, with his nasty 39 mph slider, has made it through his first career inning of work as a relief pitcher and only surrendered 2 ER in the process.

He’ll have to wait for that first career strikeout, though.

It’s 11-2 Twins headed to the bottom of the 9th.

Ban Wyatt Langford from challenging ever again.

We seriously need to riot if Elías Díaz isn’t on this team when the Jansen IL stint is done.

Not Brandon Nimmo’s finest hour as a Texas Ranger…

It’s time to give Cal Quantrill an opportunity.

You just gotta laugh sometimes man

Outstanding play by Jake Burger to save a run, especially with Byron Buxton running at second.

Rocker appears to have the cover 1B thing down, at least for now.