Nolan Writin

The Texas Rangers are making a serious push to win the AL West as they have picked up ground on the Houston Astros in the past week. Several players are coming up big in leverage situations right when the team needs them. Others, however, have been missing in action and are putting their 2027 roster spots in jeopardy.

The Texas Rangers had a golden opportunity in the series opener against the New York Mets. Struggling lefty Sean Manaea was taking the mound, and the club needed to take advantage of that fact to get off on the right foot with New York's rookie ace Nolan McLean lurking in Game 2. Entering the matchup with a slim one-game lead over the Houston Astros for the division lead, and with the Astros owning the tiebreaker, it's imperative that the Rangers win the AL West outright.

The Texas Rangers are welcoming the New York Mets to town, and with sole possession of first place in the AL West, the club finally controls its own destiny. The Mets are a major disappointment despite a payroll that is pushing $400 million. On the one hand, that makes them a dream opponent. Finishing off with a cupcake like the Mets and then the free-falling Minnesota Twins, Texas would seem well positioned to come away with the division crown.

In-the-know Texas Rangers fans are already aware of the top Rangers prospects like Sebastian Walcott, Caden Scarborough, Josh Owens, Gio Rojas, and now Dylan Dreiling. Still, there are several more minor leaguers who quietly put in stellar years and deserve some recognition. We have put together a list of three farmhands who, despite not receiving the same amount of hype as the organization's biggest rising stars, are right on the cusp of being grouped alongside them.

All of a sudden, it's a good time to be a Rangers fan. ByJackson Kruse|Sep 21, 2026, 7:00 AM EDT Sep 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger (21) celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field.

When you think about Jake Burger, the first things that come to mind are big-time power, a few too many strikeouts, and a penchant for being streaky, regardless of what kind of facial hair he's sporting. What usually doesn't come to mind when thinking about the Texas Rangers' beefy first baseman is defense. Just looking at Burger, you'd be forgiven for assuming that he's a poor defender.

Admit it, unless you're a Pittsburgh Pirates or Washington Nationals fan, you had never heard of Trevor Williams before the Texas Rangers picked him up off the scrap heap close to three weeks ago. It's ok! The journeyman reliever was completely out of baseball before he showed up in Arlington as a free agent on September 1. Jordan Montgomery is a familiar face because he was a huge part of the Rangers' 2023 World Series squad.

For most of the summer, it looked like 2026 would be a lost season for Texas Rangers All-Star shortstop Corey Seager. He suffered through three injuries and missed most of the first half. When he did play, he struggled, putting up substandard numbers that we're not used to seeing from the 2-time World Series MVP. Over the last six weeks, the slugger has flipped the script on his campaign and resumed being the anchor in the No. 2 slot in Skip Schumaker's batting order.

It looked like the Texas Rangers were going to complete the three-game sweep of the Red Sox, only to suffer a gut punch in the form of a Trevor Story 3-run bomb in the top of the eighth to give them a 4-3 win. It was the 5th straight game that Joc Pederson missed after suffering a fracture in his left hand after being hit by a pitch. Since the injury, the team has used a handful of leadoff hitters, including Justin Foscue and Ezequiel Duran.

Only nine games remain in the 2026 season, and the Texas Rangers are continuing to trade blows with the Houston Astros in the battle for the AL West title. They will need to continue to play good baseball, but a little help from some old friends would be welcome. Former Ranger hurlers Tyler Mahle and Martin Perez are scheduled to make starts for the Atlanta Braves against the Astros this weekend.