In a pivotal AL West matchup on Friday night, the Texas Rangers saw their division chase stall with a 10-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The defeat leaves the Rangers (79‑81) dead‑locked with the Houston Astros, who hold the tiebreaker, and keeps the division title within reach of a team without a winning record for the first time in a full season.
DeGrom’s rough outing
Jacob deGrom, the Rangers’ veteran right‑hander, matched a career high by allowing eight earned runs over four innings. After a 2‑0 lead, deGrom (11‑11) surrendered six runs in the second inning and two more in the fourth. He gave up eight hits and three walks while striking out five. This marks the fourth occasion deGrom has been charged with eight earned runs in a single game.
Twins’ offensive surge
Luke Keaschall powered the Twins with four hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in three runs. Kody Clemens added a 27th home run of the season, his team‑leading total, in the sixth inning. Twins starter Joe Ryan (7‑10) limited Texas to two runs and four hits, striking out eight over six innings.
Rangers’ key moments
Corey Seager contributed an RBI single, and Wyatt Langford added a run‑scoring grounder as the Rangers capitalized on two hit‑by‑pitches in the first inning. Royce Lewis delivered a tying two‑run single in the second, while Ryan Kreidler produced the go‑ahead run with a safety squeeze bunt that turned into a single when the defense failed to cover first base. Keaschall later tripled in two more runs before scoring on a deGrom wild pitch.
Designated hitter Josh Jung suffered a broken bone in his right hand after being hit by a pitch in the first inning. He stayed in the game, scored the Rangers’ second run, and was later replaced by a pinch hitter in the third inning.
Implications for the AL West race
The loss keeps Texas tied with Houston, but the Astros retain the tiebreaker advantage. An Astros win combined with a Rangers loss on Saturday would clinch the division for Houston, making the upcoming weekend games critical for both clubs.
Looking ahead, the Twins will start right‑hander Bailey Ober (7‑6, 4.21 ERA) on Saturday, while the Rangers will counter with left‑hander Nathan Eovaldi (11‑10, 4.27 ERA).
Original reporting: Richardson, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
