By Alex Al-Kazzaz
Last season, the Texas Rangers shocked the world when they won the World Series for the first time. After a rough stretch consisting of failure and disappointment that lasted six years, the Rangers appointed one of baseball's best managers of this generation as their new skipper, hoping to bring in an era of success to a baseball club with a history marred by mediocrity. The Bruce Bochy era in Texas couldn't have had a better start.
In the final game of the regular season, the Rangers missed out on winning the American League West, meaning they had to settle for a spot in the wildcard. The fifth-seed Rangers went on to sweep Tampa Bay in the wildcard, then the top-seeded Orioles in the ALDS, and finally beat the then-defending champions, the Astros, in a brilliant seven-game ALCS. Texas would beat Arizona in five games for their first World Series triumph.
The Astros are once again favored to win the AL West. Houston also enters the 2024 season as one of the favorites to win the World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers have to be the heaviest favorites, considering the serious investments the club made during free agency. Unfortunately, the Rangers don't have the odds in their favor this season. Then again, it was the same going into last season, and look what happened. This season is going to be a bigger challenge for the defending champions.
The Rangers have a plethora of talent on their roster. But injuries, like last year, are a problem. Corey Seager's a doubt for Opening Day due to sports hernia surgery he underwent last month. Jacob deGrom is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Max Scherzer is recovering from back surgery. Scherzer and deGrom are looking to return around July. The situation involving Jordan Montgomery remains a mystery, and at this point, it seems like he won't be returning to the Rangers, which is a massive loss.
The club has begun Spring Training. Despite some disadvantages due to injuries and concerns involving pitching, among other things, the team is continuing to move forward to prepare for the 2024 season. Frankly, it seems that disadvantages are not uncommon for the club. Despite disadvantages, the Rangers pulled off one of the best World Series triumphs, so it seems that the Rangers may be able to overcome the disadvantages.
A back-to-back World Series triumph is not happening this year. The team is quite unpredictable with the injuries and all the unanswered questions involving the roster. A second-place finish in the division and making it as far as the ALDS seems realistic, and it may happen. However, with all the injuries the team is dealing with right now, the Astros will take advantage by immediately emerging dominance at the start of the season and stay ahead.
The team may miss the playoffs, but with Bochy at the helm, who knows what can happen. Bochy has proved time and time again that he has secretive ways of handling situations. But right now, the Texas Rangers face a lengthy 2024 season, but anything can happen.
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)