PHOENIX − The Texas Rangers arrived at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, took two buses, and drove to their large resort.

They stayed at the Arizona Biltmore.

As they got there, smiles and laughter emerged, recalling many cherished moments.

The last time they were in this location was 10 months and 6 days ago, where they celebrated joyfully late into the night in the courtyard and ballroom.

“It was an unforgettable experience,” Rangers GM Chris Young reflected. “I’ll always remember the joy, the happiness, and families coming together to celebrate.”

After winning the World Series—their first title ever—when they returned to Dallas the following day, they held hopes of returning for a repeat performance in 2024.

This time, however, as they left Phoenix, silence reigned, with the Arizona Diamondbacks sweeping them and reminding the team that they won’t be heading to the playoffs.

For the 24th consecutive year, no team has managed to repeat as World Series champions.

“I really wish I knew why,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy shared with YSL News Sports. “Obviously, I haven’t figured it out yet.”

Bochy, a four-time World Series-winning manager—in 2010, 2012, and 2014 with the San Francisco Giants, and last year with the Rangers—has never had a team reach the playoffs the season after winning a championship, much less return to the World Series.

“So, you’re asking the wrong person,” Bochy said while slowly starting to smile.

Despite winning 15 of their last 25 games leading into Sunday, the Rangers are unlikely to finish with a winning record this season and will spend October wondering what went wrong.

“There are many reasons why we’re not where we want to be,” Bochy said, seated on the visiting bench at Chase Field, gazing towards the spot where he hoisted the World Series trophy 10 months ago. “Each season unfolds differently depending on player performances or injuries.”

Bochy closed his eyes, recalling past seasons following World Series titles, attempting to find answers. No team has won back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees did so in 1999 and 2000, and no National League team has repeated since the Cincinnati Reds in 1975 and 1976.

“It emphasizes how challenging it is to secure a championship,” Bochy said. “To repeat, many favorable circumstances must occur. Players need to maintain similar performance levels, injuries must be avoided, and there needs to be a pleasant surprise or two.”

“We didn’t achieve any of those, to be honest.”

The Rangers’ powerful offense never managed to synchronize. The only player who nearly matched last year’s performance was shortstop Corey Seager, who batted .278 with 30 homers, 74 RBI, and a .864 OPS, but his season ended with hernia surgery.

Throughout the lineup, they struggled to replicate last year’s production.

Outfielder Adolis Garcia, who belted 39 homers and drove in 107 runs in 2023, was named ALCS MVP, but this year he’s batting just .216 with 22 homers and 75 RBI. His .663 OPS is down by 173 points.

Catcher Jonah Heim faced a tough season with a .227 average and a .587 OPS.

Center fielder Leody Taveras, who hit 14 homers and 67 RBI with a .733 OPS last season, saw his stats drop to 10 homers, 41 RBI, and a .632 OPS.

Second baseman Marcus Semien is at .238 with a .704 OPS, compared to his .826 OPS in 2023.

Additionally, injuries have plagued the team.

Rookie outfielder Evan Carter, crucial to their World Series success, battled back issues and played just 45 games, hitting .188.

Third baseman Josh Jung missed the initial three months of the season due to a wrist fracture.

Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, has only made nine starts this season.

Starter Jon Gray pitched just 102 ⅔ innings before being sidelined with groin and foot injuries, concluding with a 5-6 record and a 4.47 ERA.

Meanwhile, two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom made his season debut recently.

“If we could have maintained better health, especially myself,” Scherzer stated, “we would have been much more competitive. That’s the tough part. Baseball is a lengthy endeavor. It’s a six-month grind, then another month, followed by a quick turnaround for another long season. That’s what makes repeating so challenging.”

“We anticipated a huge challenge coming in, and unfortunately, as a team, we haven’t played at our best, and with several injuries, like mine, it’s disheartening. I believe if I had been healthy, my contributions would have significantly helped the team.”

“We remain a talented team, but everyone needs to reflect after the season and wish they could have done more.”

When nearly every player experiences a downturn in performance,

With 28 separate stints on the injury list, the chances of repeating last year’s success seem to have vanished.

“Injuries are part of the game; every team faces them,” Bochy remarked. “However, they really impacted us, particularly with our key players. Our players would agree that they haven’t performed as well as they did last season. Offensively, we weren’t quite the same, and it’s challenging to pinpoint why. We just lacked the powerful hitting we had last year.”

The Rangers didn’t make a splash in the free-agent market and lost their postseason standout, Jordan Montgomery, after receiving roughly $20 million less than the anticipated $111 million from their TV contract. They did enhance their bullpen by signing Kirby Yates and David Robertson but essentially retained the same roster.

“I think we’re all taken aback by what’s unfolded,” Montgomery shared, after signing a two-year, $47.5 million deal with the Diamondbacks. “I thought they’d bounce back, but I remember when I was with the Yankees, Anthony Rizzo talked about the World Series hangover they faced with the Cubs. Maybe it’s a real thing.”

The team that loses the World Series often still maintains a fierce drive for success. Take the Kansas City Royals, who lost in the 2014 World Series to Bochy’s Giants but came back the following year to defeat the New York Mets and win the championship. The D-backs seem poised to emulate that success.

“It really showcases how competitive this sport is,” stated D-backs first baseman Christian Walker. “The Rangers didn’t do anything wrong to find themselves in a tough spot. They had an exceptional season last year. While it’s possible for them to repeat that success, expecting every player to have another stellar year is quite a challenge.

“Winning brings high expectations, and it can make it seem like a team hasn’t met its standard. But the game is just that difficult and rapid. Last year, that team was viewed as an underdog, much like our team is now, and it’s unrealistic to hope for that level of play every season.”

Indeed, nobody anticipated what the Rangers would endure last October. They lost the AL West title on the final day of the regular season in Seattle and went on to be considered underdogs against Tampa Bay in the wild-card series, then the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Division Series, and finally the Houston Astros in the ALCS before making it to the World Series. Who would have guessed they’d finish 11-0 on the road in the postseason?

And who could have foreseen their struggles this year, failing to return as the reigning champions?

“It’s not just about why teams struggle to repeat,” said Young, “but rather how remarkable it is when they do manage to keep everything aligned. To have all those factors work in your favor consistently is incredibly challenging. We certainly faced issues this year, be it injuries or lackluster performance. Things just haven’t come together for us.”

With only two weeks left in the season, the Rangers are focusing on finishing strong, hoping to carry some momentum into next year’s spring training.

“No one is pleased or content with how this season has unfolded,” Young said after signing a multi-year contract to remain with the Rangers. “However, it’s crucial that we generate positive momentum as the season winds down, so we can build on that heading into 2025.”

“If we can end on a respectable note, we can look back and say that given everything that went wrong, we’re still close to being competitive again next year.”

Bochy has achieved this feat three times in San Francisco.

So, why not aim for one more during what could be the final chapter of his storied managerial journey?

Let the rallying cry commence: “One for the thumb.”

Breaking the Slump

Aaron Judge, the preeminent slugger in baseball, ended his lengthy 16-game stretch without a home run on Friday with a grand slam. It’s not unusual for Judge to go through annual slumps.

However, when he comes out of those slumps, watch out!

As Judge entered Saturday with 52 home runs, he had faced 11 slumps in his career where he hit two or fewer home runs over periods ranging from 17 to 28 games.

During those downturns, he managed only 19 home runs in 268 games, equating to one home run approximately every 50.7 at-bats.

Throughout the rest of his career, he hit 290 homers in 712 games, or one every 8.8 at-bats across 3,129 plate appearances and 2,561 at-bats.

This season, between April 24 and August 25, Judge hit 48 home runs in 105 games, achieving one home run every 7.7 at-bats during 469 plate appearances and 370 at-bats.

In his two respective slumps, totaling 40 games, he recorded just three home runs across 179 plate appearances and 147 at-bats, translating to one home run every 49.0 at-bats.

Around the League

≻ The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t ruled out the possibility of Shohei Ohtani pitching if they advance to the NLCS or World Series, yet this notion seems somewhat desperate.

Ohtani underwent his second elbow surgery last September and is still in rehab, having not faced any batters yet.

Is risking a postseason appearance worth the potential $700 million investment and a possible third surgery? While it could make for a great Hollywood storyline, placing him in a game without prior pitching experience since August 23, 2023, would be unwise.

≻ Major League Baseball should enforce a minimum two-year suspension on former Minnesota Twins Class A catcher Derek Bender for colluding to throw a game on September 6 against Class A Lakeland, where he revealed the pitches to opposing batters to ensure Fort Myers’ season ended.

Following an investigation, the Twins released him immediately, and due to the gravity of his actions, no team should ever sign him again.

≻ With just two weeks left, the San Francisco Giants’ ownership has yet to determine if they will retain Farhan Zaidi, president of baseball operations, for the 2025 season as his contract nears its end.

≻ Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger, currently in the first year of his three-year, $80 million contract, is anticipated to remain with the Cubs rather than opting out, set to earn $27.5 million next season.

≻ Several teams are expected to bid on free-agent outfielder Juan Soto this winter, with baseball executives speculating that the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Philadelphia Phillies will be the major contenders.

≻ Although John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals, intends to step down after the 2025 season, special assistant Chaim Bloom is expected to wield significantly greater authority next year,

≻ The Chicago White Sox, who are on track to shatter the record for the most losses in a baseball season with 120 this week, are looking to reduce their payroll in 2025 after suffering significant revenue losses during this dismal season.

≻ Alex Bregman is expected to be the highest-paid infielder in this winter’s free agency market. Meanwhile, Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames is projected to be the second-highest, potentially earning close to the six-year, $151 million contract recently signed by Matt Chapman with the Giants.

≻ Enough of the rampant rumors and conjecture. The Oakland A’s are set to play in Sacramento next season and at least until 2027, with the Giants likely to reap the most benefits. They never returned the territorial rights that the A’s granted them during the A’s near move to Tampa nearly three decades ago.

≻ When infielder Jose Iglesias joined the Mets on May 31, their record was 23-33. Since his arrival, they have improved to 58-33 and are now vying for a wild-card spot.

Perhaps he’s their real MVP.

≻ The Minnesota Twins have struggled recently with an 8-16 record, allowing teams like the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, and Boston Red Sox to stay competitive in the AL wild-card race. This was only the 18^th time this season that Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, and Royce Lewis have played together.

≻ The Tigers may regret trading Jack Flaherty for a minor prospect package from the Dodgers, especially since Flaherty has emerged as the Dodgers’ top pitcher. The Tigers are left wondering if they lost their chance at making the playoffs due to this decision.

≻ A shout-out to Amy Adams Strunk, owner of the Tennessee Titans, for flying defensive line coach Tracy Rocker and his wife, Lalitha, to Seattle to witness their son, Kumar Rocker, make his debut with the Texas Rangers.

≻ Jeff Bannister, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ bench coach, played a crucial role in the team’s revival after a 110-loss season in 2021 and should be on every team’s radar for managerial positions this offseason.

≻ With only two weeks left in the season, just five teams have been officially eliminated. The Brewers, operating in the smallest market in baseball, are poised to be the first team to secure a division title this week, needing only five more wins as of Saturday.

≻ As the Dodgers gear up to celebrate their 12th consecutive playoff appearance, manager Dave Roberts acknowledges that the constant high expectations take away some of the excitement associated with their success.

“Whatever is expected,” said Roberts, “really diminishes the joy of the outcome compared to when expectations are low.”

“It’s something we deal with. But we still aim to win and strive for victory. However, it does make it harder to celebrate,” he added.

≻ The National League batting title race appears to be all but settled, with Padres infielder Luis Arraez poised to win again. If he does, he will make history as the first player to win batting titles with three different teams in three consecutive seasons.

≻ Kansas City Royals GM J.J. Picollo deserves the Executive of the Year award without a doubt, having made clever moves during the offseason and trade deadline, transforming a 106-loss team into a postseason contender.

≻ The Miami Marlins have utilized a record 70 players this season, nearly filling two entire 40-man rosters.

It is no surprise that manager Skip Shumaker may be looking for a new opportunity as soon as the season wraps up.

≻ The baseball gods certainly have a twisted sense of humor.

There’s a chance the Mets could find themselves staying a week in Milwaukee, while the Padres spend a week in Phoenix.

The Mets will finish the regular season in Milwaukee, and if they secure the final wild-card spot, they will likely begin the postseason against the Brewers there just a day later.

Meanwhile, the Padres will conclude their regular season in Phoenix, and should they claim the second wild-card berth with the D-backs holding the top spot, they will start the playoffs in Phoenix.

≻ Padres’ rookie standout Jackson Merrill is a prime candidate for Rookie of the Year, becoming only the sixth player 21 or younger to achieve at least 23 home runs, 25 doubles, and six triples. He joins an esteemed group alongside Hall of Famers Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Frank Robinson, as well as modern stars Mike Trout, Ken Keltner, and Hal Trosky.

≻ Kudos go out to Xander Bogaerts, who initially moved from shortstop to second base at the start of the season for Ha-Seong Kim’s benefit. He accepted the change modestly and is now back in the shortstop position for the Padres.

He agreed to the switch simply to enable Donovan Solano to take the field at first base, thereby pushing Jake Cronenworth to second base.

“Everything,” Bogaerts remarked to reporters, “is centered around winning. There’s no other way to approach it.”

≻ Congratulations to Tampa Bay Rays infielder Christopher Morel, who recently completed his high school diploma after leaving school at age 16 in the Dominican Republic to chase his baseball dreams.

“It was mainly for my mother,” Morel, 24, explained. “I’m the firstborn in my family, and I’m the last to graduate. My two younger siblings have already finished school. I wanted to do this as a gift for her.”

≻ Bowden Francis is introduced to Dave Stieb.

Dave Stieb meets Bowden Francis.

Stieb had three no-hitters and a perfect game disrupted in the ninth inning during his career with the Blue Jays, finally achieving his first no-hitter on September 2, 1990.

This remains the only no-hitter in Blue Jays history.

Currently, Francis is attempting to replicate this feat, having come close to three no-hitters in recent weeks, losing two in the ninth inning and another in the seventh.

Francis is one of just five pitchers to have had multiple no-hit bids lasting a minimum of eight innings since 1974, alongside legends like Max Scherzer (2015), Nolan Ryan (1974 and 1989), Tom Browning (1988), and Stieb (1988).

≻ Just when you thought the White Sox’s situation couldn’t worsen, they have managed a dismal 6-44 record since the All-Star break, losing 28 of their last 29 games at home.

≻ Comeback Player of the Year: Let’s applaud Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez.

He’s currently batting .328 with an impressive 22 home runs and 60 RBIs since July 1. His first three months were rough, with a .196 batting average, six home runs, and 32 RBIs, and he was nearly let go.

≻ When was the last time Atlanta was able to field their starting lineup in its entirety? It was on opening day, which was cut short after just seven innings.

≻ What a special moment for Twins reliever Griffin Jax, a graduate of the Air Force Academy, to witness his brother (Capt. Parker Jax) and sister-in-law (Capt. Chandler Jax) perform an F-35 flyover before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Target Field.

After the flyover, Griffin’s twin brother, Capt. Carson Jax, threw out the ceremonial first pitch caught by Griffin.

In a thrilling performance, Jax, with his parents cheering him on, delivered two flawless innings, contributing to the Twins’ 6-3 win.

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