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Much of the baseball-watching world has been waiting for the Texas Rangers (63-66) to experience a genuine breakthrough during the 2025 campaign. When they ignited in late July and proceeded to have an active trade deadline, many fans believed a big second half was highly attainable. Instead, the franchise has gone in the completely opposite direction, posting two separate four-game losing streaks in August. Thursday marked a new low for the October hopeful.
The Rangers ended their brutal road trip with a potentially back-breaking 6-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals and also suffered injuries to two of their position players. Three-time All-Star Marcus Semien exited the important matchup with a left foot contusion in the second inning, and young outfielder Evan Carter left in the seventh after getting hit in the wrist with a sinker. The 2020 second-round draft pick has a wrist contusion, per MLB.com's Kennedi Landry.
Texas president of baseball operations Chris Young opted to double down on the team's fierce starting pitching rotation by trading for Merrill Kelly, but he did not make any big midseason additions to the lineup. Now, the club is at risk of losing two bats right when it is clinging to its postseason life. Last year was seen as a fluke, with 2025 destined to be a bounce-back campaign. Waiting for a Rangers resurgence appears futile, however.
wrist contusion for Carter https://t.co/3EmxQt0bwo
— kennedi landry (@kennlandry) August 21, 2025
Rangers still need to build for future, especially if 2025 is a lost year
After coming back to tie the game in the fifth inning, they allowed a Vinnie Pasquantino home run and walked in an insurance run to drop three of four in KC. Texas is now five and a half games out of a playoff spot and trails the Royals by three and a half. The schedule does soften before ramping up in September, but time is obviously not on the squad's side. An unexpected revival will be even harder to fathom if these latest setbacks lead to extended absences.
Carter's situation is especially distressing given how important this season is to his overall development. The 22-year-old played a key part in the Rangers winning their first World Series championship in 2023. He established himself as one of the rising talents to watch, earning a key role in less than two months on the big-league roster. His swift ascension nicely represented Texas' tenacious and composed identity during its momentous title run.
Evan Carter has struggled to carry momentum beyond that heroic stretch, however. Injuries and offensive struggles have caused him to fade into obscurity, making his late-2024 surge seem even more mythological. He is slashing .247/.336/.392/.728 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 194 at-bats this season. He is showing some life in August, providing fans with some hope that he can turn his career around.
Since the Rangers' October pursuit is firmly on the skids right now, Arlington will want to emotionally invest in the future. Disappointment will linger regardless, but if Carter can avoid a lengthy trip to the injured list and finish 2025 strong, then that might qualify as some sort of a consolation prize.
This fan base uttered the words “wait till' next year” for much longer than it cares to admit. It is begrudgingly prepared to do so again, but it needs something positive to latch onto for the rest of the summer.
