It’s challenging enough to win when they have no offense. It’s challenging enough to win when the rotation has too many holes. But it just makes is to much harder when the defense starts to break down.

The Rangers defense this year has been spotty. Jake Burger has had an adventure catching pop ups. Corey Seager, too. And the usually sure-handed Josh Jung has been susceptible to miscues. Last night, his error in the first opened the door to a three-run homer that buried the Rangers early.

It was especially costly because Brandon Nimmo was out of the lineup. For a team starving for offense, losing one of their few true hitters puts them at a huge disadvantage from the beginning. Once the Rangers got down 5-0, the deficit was too great to overcome.

Texas lost 5-1 in a snoozefest. Jake Burger’s solo homer in the fourth was the only way they could dent the plate. They had opportunities but coundn’t cash in, like they’ve failed to do so often this year. Two on, one out in the third. No runs. Two on, no outs in the fifth. No runs. Two on, one out in the eighth. No runs.

The Rangers don’t have the rotation, and now don’t have the defense, to overcome their lack of offense.

It’s going to be one of those seasons.

*****