A momentous, World Series-winning 2023 season granted the Texas Rangers a reprieve for an unsatisfactory, injury-marred 2024 campaign. But that card is quickly approaching its expiration date. Many, including this writer, picked the Bruce Bochy-managed ballclub to win the American League West and contend for another title this year, but a bad case of deja vu is bringing Arlington to its knees through the first two months of play.

Texas owns a 27-30 record and has one of MLB's worst offenses. Nathan Eovaldi, Tyler Mahle and Jacob deGrom lead an elite starting pitching rotation, but their herculean efforts are being squandered at the plate. The Rangers dismissed hitting coach Donnie Ecker in early May and brought in two-time Silver Slugger Bret Boone to rejuvenate the lineup. Following a brief burst, they are experiencing the same troubles.

It is still early enough to spark a turnaround, but if change does not come in the batter's box, it might have to happen another way. Ownership has invested a substantial amount of resources in this roster over the last few years, and kept it largely intact with the intention of building a powerhouse. One championship run sandwiched between subpar showings may not incentivize Ray Davis and Bob Simpson to keep financing a top-10 payroll.

“If the Rangers’ offensive malaise continues — they currently rank 28th in scoring, wasting perhaps the best pitching in franchise history — the team will have little choice at the trade deadline but to sell,” Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes.

Rangers just cannot hit

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Two-time World series MVP and five-time All-Star Corey Seager just returned from a hamstring injury, so there is hope he can make a meaningful difference. But one man is not going to warm up a club-wide freeze. Marcus Semien has a grotesque .173 batting average, .224 slugging percentage and .485 OPS through 56 games. Offseason addition Joc Pederson, who is out with a hand fracture, is batting a dreadful .131 with two home runs. Adolis Garcia is hitting .208 with a modest seven dingers.

This stunningly paltry production is contributing to a bottom-barrel offense. The Rangers rank 29th in both OPS and batting average, trailing only the historically abysmal Colorado Rockies. They have the lowest on-base percentage (.282) and fewest amount of doubles (67), putting the onus on their top-notch rotation to win games. Though, even with the third-best team ERA, Texas is far from looking like a title contender.

And yet, the team is only four games out of first place in the mediocre AL West. A roster shake-up may not be necessary. However, the Rangers cannot keep pressing the snooze alarm until the July 31 trade deadline arrives. They need to wake up now.

Texas begins a three-game series versus the St. Louis Cardinals (32-24) in Globe Life Field on Friday.