The Rangers went on the road for six games, three each against two division winners. The good news is, it was a total success. They didn’t get swept in either series, going 1-2 in both three-gamers. That was the best they could realistically hope for.

The second half has not been kind to Texas. After the just completed road trip, the Rangers are now 18-23 since the break. The Astros, by the way, are 22-17 since the break: 4.5 games better.

So, now the Rangers come home for seven: three against Sacramento, four against Tampa Bay. They have just 25 games left. They certainly have a shot at winning the participation trophy that will go to the eventual American League West champ. But, they are trending in the opposite direction from Houston, and there has been nothing in first five months of the season to suggest they have any sort of sustained run in them.

And after getting drubbed by two elite teams in a row, it’s pretty obvious the Rangers are not on par with playoff-caliber teams. They might not even finish at .500.

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