The Texas Rangers saw great improvement this season, but it was not enough to get them to the playoffs. The team ended the regular season with a record of 80-82, a .494 win percentage. The past two years have seen the Rangers miss the playoffs, but with the hiring of Skip Schumaker as fulltime manager, the Rangers were looking to turn their luck around.
Schumaker was hired as senior advisor in 2024, and became manager in Oct. 2025. Though a rookie manager, with only two years of management under his belt, he is regarded as a respected and capable manager. A former baseball player himself, Schumaker took a hands-on approach with managing, talking personally to players, on and off the field.
The effect that Schumaker has had on the team was very noticeable. By last week, the Rangers were at the top of their division, the AL West, with the Astros trailing behind by one game.
This was the best that the Rangers had done in several years, as the last time that they led the division was 10 years ago, in 2016.
However, despite the Rangers’ best efforts, they could not win some crucial games against the Minnesota Twins, and the Astros beat out the Rangers, taking the title of division leader. This means that the Texas Rangers will not be playing in the playoffs.
Outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who joined the Rangers this season, held a batting average of .261, and has been a consistent hitter for the Rangers. The Rangers also have Jake Burger, a hard hitting first baseman who has had 27 home runs this season. Combined with batters such as Josh Jung and Corey Seager, the Rangers were a threatening offensive force.
However, in the weeks leading up to playoffs, despite getting runners on base, the Rangers struggled to convert those opportunities into points. This problem cost the Rangers several victories, and seems to have ultimately led to their demise.
On the 60- day injury list for the Rangers is Cal Quantrill, Relief Pitcher, who had been a crucial player in many of the Rangers’ victories. Quantrill stepped into the spotlight after injuries to several starting pitchers, such as Jack Leiter and Nathan Eovaldi.
After throwing for several games, with notable shutouts against the Nationals and the Rays, Quantrill had been seen as a key pitcher and asset to the team. However, after pitching against the Blue Jays on Sept. 19, Quantrill suffered a lat strain and was moved to the 60-day injury list, meaning that he was not able to play in the games leading up to playoffs.
This injury might have been a key factor in the losses that cost Texas their playoff spot. Though they had phenomenal pitchers such as Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, the Rangers simply could not hold back the opposing offense.
With injuries piling up, the Rangers faced a difficult road to the playoffs. Even with a depleted roster, this team kept competing until the final game of the regular season, giving fans something to build their hopes on. Now, the focus shifts to getting players healthy and adding talent to strengthen the lineup. The Rangers have plenty of potential, and a productive offseason could put them in position to make a deep playoff run next year.