ARLINGTON, Texas — That record offseason spending spree by the Texas Rangers was a long-term investment. Still, they certainly expected some better early returns.
After losing 102 games last season, then committing more than a half-billion dollars in free agency, the Rangers have dropped their opening three series for the first time since 2003. After consecutive five-run losses at home to the Los Angeles Angels, Texas went into its off day Monday with a 2-7 record that was the worst in the American League.
“Just we’re not playing well,” manager Chris Woodward said bluntly. “We’ve got to fix it. We’ve got to play better if we expect to compete and win Major League Baseball games. We’re not doing really anything well right now. … I felt like early on we were playing OK, we were just a couple of, maybe a pitch or a swing away every game.”
The Rangers are one of the highest-scoring teams in the majors at nearly 5 1/2 runs a game, except 22 of their 49 total runs came in their two wins. There was also that season opener, when Texas led 7-0 in the fourth inning before losing 10-8 at Toronto.
While losing three of four games in their series against Los Angeles, the only win for the Rangers was 10-5 in the opener when they scored six runs in 3 2/3 innings facing reigning AL MVP and two-way standout Shohei Ohtani.
Two starting pitchers are on the injured list with blisters, including new No. 1 starter Jon Gray after the opener. Only once has a Texas starter made it…