Rangers Notes: Division Series again goes Blue Jays’ Way

Texas players watch from the dugout as the Blue Jays storm the field following a 7-6 walk-off win on Sunday. Toronto swept the Rangers in three games.

It had to happen this way, of course. In Toronto, in a pivotal A.L. Division Series matchup and – in the end – in the most heartbreaking fashion possible.

For the second straight year, the Rangers’ playoff run came to an abrupt halt at Rogers Centre against the Blue Jays. The Texas infield botched a potential inning-ending double play in the bottom of the tenth Sunday, allowing Josh Donaldson to score from second base with the game-winning run.

The 7-6 victory gave Toronto a clean sweep after the club had taken Games 1 and 2 at Globe Life Park, knocking Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish around early and often while knocking the Rangers to the ground with a quick 2-0 series lead.

Hamels was rocked for seven runs (six earned) in three-plus innings of work Thursday afternoon as the Blue Jays cruised to a 10-1 rout, and Darvish permitted a career-worst four homers in a 5-3 defeat on Friday.

For Toronto in the series, Donaldson batted .538 with four doubles, Edwin Encarnacion posted a .917 slugging percentage and Troy Tulowitzki led the team with five runs batted in.

Polarizing Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista was held to just 2-for-12 (.167) at the plate, although one of his hits was a ninth-inning long ball off Jake Diekman in Game 1.

It’s all too much to write about right now. Maybe someday, but not yet.

Lucroy’s Option picked up

On Tuesday, the Rangers picked up the team option on Jonathan Lucroy’s contract for next year, giving them a clear-cut No. 1 catcher before the winter shopping season officially begins.

Lucroy, 30, split the 2016 campaign between Milwaukee and Texas, for whom he batted .276 over the final two months of the season while collecting 11 homers and 31 RBIs.

Although Lucroy is under contract for 2017 (at a bargain price of $5.5 million, no less), potential free agents Carlos Beltran, Ian Desmond, Derek Holland and Mitch Moreland may have already played their last games in a Rangers uniform.

Coaching Staff Stays Intact for 2017

All members of Jeff Banister’s coaching staff – including third-base coach Tony Beasley, who was limited to dugout duties this year while undergoing cancer treatment – are expected to return next season.

Interim coach Spike Owen filled in for Beasley on the third-base line this season. Owen had been tabbed to manage the Class-A Hickory Crawdads before the big-league opportunity arose.

Others on Banister’s staff include pitching coach Doug Brocail, hitting coach Anthony Iapoce, bench coach Steve Buechele, bullpen coach Brad Holman, assistant hitting coach Justin Mashore and first-base coach Hector Ortiz.

And in a kind farewell gesture, the Rangers presented former player, coach, minor-league manager and replay coordinator Bobby Jones with a red 1965 Ford Mustang convertible prior to the ALDS against Toronto.

The 67-year-old Jones is retiring after logging 50 seasons of service in professional baseball, 29 of which were spent with the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers franchise.

Rangers Notes: Hamels, Texas Beat King Felix in Opener

Rougned Odor is congratulated by Prince Fielder after scoring Monday on a bases-loaded walk to Shin-Soo Choo.

For the second year in a row, the Rangers managed just one hit in their season opener while the Texas starter put his team in an early hole by giving up a first-inning homer.

But unlike the 2015 opener (an 8-0 defeat to Oakland), Texas was able to manufacture some runs Monday afternoon against Seattle’s Felix Hernandez in a 3-2 comeback victory over the Mariners at Globe Life Park.

Left-hander Cole Hamels allowed a solo home run to Robinson Cano just three batters into the game before noted Ranger-killer Kyle Seager followed with a shot of his own in the top of the second, giving Seattle a quick 2-0 advantage.

Hernandez hit Texas leadoff batter Delino DeShields with a pitch but otherwise cruised through his first four innings of work, and Hamels settled down after his rocky start to keep the Mariners from adding to their lead.

Texas mounted its rally in the bottom of the fifth inning when Rougned Odor drew a leadoff walk against Hernandez and later moved to third base on a fielding error by Seager, which allowed Elvis Andrus to reach first.

Hernandez then issued consecutive walks to DeShields and Shin-Soo Choo to force home Odor with the Rangers’ first run of the season, and Prince Fielder tied the game with a bloop single into left field – the only hit Texas got all day.

With the bases still loaded and one out, Adrian Beltre hit a ground ball to shortstop Ketel Marte that could have been turned into a double play and ended the inning. Instead, Marte booted the ball for an error while DeShields came home to score the go-ahead run.

Hamels finished the day with eight strikeouts and turned the ball over to southpaw Jake Diekman after seven quality innings. Diekman worked a scoreless top of the eighth, and closer Shawn Tolleson struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to nail down the save.

Monday’s contest marked the second time in club history that Texas won a game despite getting just one hit. It first happened on July 27, 1993, when Rafael Palmeiro’s solo home run off Kansas City starter Kevin Appier gave the Rangers a 1-0 victory (although they were outhit by the Royals, 9-1).

Unfortunately for Texas, the relief performances on Monday seemed an aberration by the end of the series, as Seattle battered what was supposed to be a strong Rangers bullpen both Tuesday and Wednesday.

After Texas had rallied from another early deficit and tied Tuesday’s game at 2-2, right-hander Tony Barnette was given a rude welcome in his major-league debut, allowing two runs on three hits before he was pulled.

Trailing 4-2 in the top of the eighth, Tom Wilhelmsen was summoned to face his former team and failed to record an out. The Mariners had already collected four straight hits off Wilhelmsen – two doubles and two homers – when he hit Chris Iannetta with the first pitch of his at-bat.

Wilhelmsen was immediately ejected by home-plate umpire Marvin Hudson, and Rangers manager Jeff Banister was soon caught up in a brief but intense shouting match with first-year Seattle skipper Scott Servais.

New pitcher Andrew Faulkner was then greeted with a two-run home run from former Texas infielder Luis Sardinas, putting the wraps on an ugly 10-2 defeat.

The Mariners saved their late-game power surge for the ninth inning on Wednesday afternoon, turning a 5-4 deficit into a 9-5 victory with five unanswered runs off Shawn Tolleson.

Ramos Accepts Assignment to Minors

In making their final roster cuts of the spring, the Rangers assigned left-hander Cesar Ramos to Triple-A Round Rock after deciding not to use him in the big-league starting rotation to begin the season.

Although he could have opted out of his minor-league contract and tried to catch on with a different team, Ramos accepted the assignment and will be with the Express when they open their season Thursday in Iowa.

Right-hander A.J. Griffin was also assigned to Triple-A, but he is expected to get recalled when Texas needs its fifth starter later this week in Anaheim.

Owen Fills in for Beasley during Treatment

As he did for much of spring training, former big-league infielder Spike Owen has picked up the in-game duties of third-base coach while Tony Beasley continues to undergo treatment for rectal cancer.

The 54-year-old Owen has worked in the Texas organization since 2009 and was originally slated to manage the Low-A Hickory Crawdads this season.

Texas Sends Freeman to Brewers

One week after being designated for assignment by the Rangers, left-handed reliever Sam Freeman was traded to Milwaukee on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations.

Freeman made 54 appearances out of the Texas bullpen last year, posting an ERA of 3.05 while holding opponents to a .218 batting average.

Rangers Notes: Cactus League Update No. 1

Tony Beasley (right) greets new pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen after arriving at the team’s spring complex in Arizona on Sunday.

Spring training began in Arizona last week with both good and bad news for Rangers manager Jeff Banister and his staff.

After leading Texas to a division title last year, Banister was rewarded Friday with a raise and an amended contract that will run through the 2018 season. The new deal also carries a club option for 2019, although financial terms were not disclosed.

“It’s a reflection on the body of work after one year and our strong feelings for Jeff and his leadership,” general manager Jon Daniels said of Banister’s contract extension. “It has been a tremendous partnership early on.”

In his debut as a major-league skipper, Banister helped reverse the Rangers’ fortunes after they had stumbled to a last-place finish in 2014.

Despite injuries to key members of the starting rotation and a dismal 8-16 record out of the gate, the ballclub overcame its early struggles and began to flourish under Banister’s leadership.

Texas went on to win the American League West – the team’s first division crown since 2011 – while Banister was named A.L. Manager of the Year in November.

For the sophomore skipper, however, there is still plenty of work to be done toward the club’s ultimate goal: winning the World Series.

“It may be recognition for where we have gotten in a short period of time,” Banister said Friday. “But we have a lot more to do.”

On a much more somber note, it was also announced Friday that third-base coach Tony Beasley – one of Banister’s best friends in the game – had been diagnosed with Stage II rectal cancer.

Beasley arrived at the Rangers’ spring training complex on Sunday and will soon begin receiving treatment in Arizona. The 49-year-old is scheduled to undergo four rounds of chemotherapy at two-week intervals.

“We feel good about catching it in time,” Beasley said. “I’m a strong man of faith. My belief is through my faith in God, I’m already delivered from this. I just need to go through the process.

“I can look at this as an obstacle and be defeated by it, but I choose to look at this as an opportunity … When things are good, it’s easy. Now I’m in the midst of a storm. I have a true opportunity to exemplify faith and consistency.

“I want to be consistent in who I say I am. I believe I’ll get through this.”

Banister (who is a cancer survivor himself) and Beasley spent many years together as players and coaches in the Pittsburgh organization, and Beasley was one of the first hires made by Banister when he joined the Rangers following the 2014 season.

Guthrie Added for Rotation Depth

Veteran right-hander Jeremy Guthrie was signed by the Rangers to a minor-league contract on Sunday, and he arrived in Surprise with a chance to crack the back end of the starting rotation.

Guthrie eclipsed the 200-inning mark in back-to-back seasons for Kansas City (2013 and ’14), and he was on pace to do so again last year before he lost his rotation spot to Kris Medlen in mid-August.

Other candidates to follow the top four starters for Texas – Cole Hamels, Derek Holland, Colby Lewis and Martin Perez – include Chi Chi Gonzalez, A.J. Griffin, Nick Martinez, Cesar Ramos, Anthony Ranaudo and Nick Tepesch.

If he doesn’t make the rotation for the Rangers, Guthrie could have an opportunity to earn a spot in the Texas bullpen, which suffered a setback Saturday when it was revealed that Tanner Scheppers will miss at least half the season with a knee injury.

Scheppers, 29, has torn articular cartilage in his left knee and is expected to undergo surgery in Texas this week.

Rangers Ink Ike Davis

Twenty-eight-year-old first baseman Ike Davis signed a minor-league deal with Texas on Feb. 15 that includes an invitation to major-league camp.

Davis hit a total of 58 home runs for the Mets over his first three MLB seasons (2010-12), but his power numbers have dwindled since then. He was limited to 72 games with Oakland last year due to quad and hip injuries.

In addition to his duties at first base, Davis also made two appearances on the mound last season in blowout losses for the A’s, posting a perfect 0.00 ERA with one strikeout across two innings pitched.

Rangers Notes: Season Unravels in Sloppy Seventh Inning

Elvis Andrus makes the first of three Texas errors during the bottom of the seventh on Wednesday in Toronto.

The Rangers’ unlikely playoff run came to an unforgettable end Wednesday at Rogers Centre when Jose Bautista powered the Blue Jays to a 6-3 victory in Game 5 of the A.L. Division Series.

Bautista’s three-run, tiebreaking homer off Sam Dyson in the bottom of the seventh came after Texas had committed three straight errors to begin the inning. Incredibly, shortstop Elvis Andrus was involved in all three defensive miscues.

Ranging to his left, Andrus booted a ground ball that allowed leadoff batter Russell Martin to reach safely.

Kevin Pillar then hit a sharp grounder that was fielded by Mitch Moreland at first base, but Andrus could not handle Moreland’s one-hop throw attempting to get the force out on Martin at second.

The next batter, Ryan Goins, laid down a bunt that was gathered in by Adrian Beltre, who turned and threw to Andrus covering at third. Andrus dropped the throw, however, to load the bases with nobody out.

“I can make those plays 100 percent of the time,” Andrus said. “I’m in a lot of pain. I feel like I let down my team and my city. It hurts. You play this game hard, and when that happens, it hurts.”

Texas recorded a force out on the next play to maintain a slim 3-2 lead, but Josh Donaldson followed with a pop up that fell just beyond the reach of Rougned Odor to tie the game.

Although Odor recovered in time to throw to second base for the second out of the inning, Bautista then launched a mammoth home run into the left-field stands that essentially put the game on ice.

Bautista’s long homer was overshadowed only by the monstrosity of his ego, as the 34-year-old slugger stood and admired his blast before turning to face Rangers pitcher Sam Dyson and then flipping his bat away.

Dyson soon became engaged in a discussion with on-deck batter Edwin Encarnacion, which drew the attention of home-plate umpire Dale Scott and caused both dugouts to empty.

“I told [Encarnacion] Jose needs to calm that down,” Dyson said after the game. “Just kind of respect the game a little more … He’s a huge role model for the younger generation that’s coming up and playing this game.”

The Rangers’ defensive meltdown – and Bautista’s subsequent home run – came after they had taken a 3-2 lead when Odor was awarded home plate during a wild top half of the seventh.

Odor was on third base with two outs when Russell Martin’s return throw to the pitcher careened off the bat of Shin-Soo Choo. The ball rolled across the left side of the infield as Odor scampered home.

Dale Scott initially indicated it was a dead ball and the run did not count, but Texas manager Jeff Banister convinced him to discuss the play with the rest of the umpiring crew.

Scott’s call was reversed and Odor was credited with scoring the go-ahead run, which prompted Blue Jays manager John Gibbons to ask for a video review of the play.

Parts of the outfield and area near the foul lines were soon littered with items thrown by fans in the crowd, and their displeasure only increased when Odor’s run was upheld by the MLB replay command center in New York.

Gibbons indicated he was playing the rest of the game under protest, but that became a moot point when Toronto completed its dramatic comeback victory.

Teams Split First Four Contests

Texas had won each of the first two ALDS games at Rogers Centre before the Blue Jays took two in Arlington to set up Wednesday’s decisive fifth game.

Robinson Chirinos provided the difference in the Rangers’ series-opening 5-3 victory with a two-run homer off David Price, and Yovani Gallardo earned the win for Texas with five effective innings of work.

Utility infielder Hanser Alberto, filling in for Adrian Beltre (strained back) at third base in Game 2, delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 14th inning that paved the way for a 6-4 Rangers win.

The Texas offense was kept in check Sunday by Marco Estrada and the Toronto bullpen as the Blue Jays rolled to a 5-1 victory in Game 3, and Derek Holland was hammered in his Game 4 start on Monday afternoon.

Holland allowed six earned runs in just over two innings pitched, getting victimized by home run balls from Josh Donaldson, Chris Colabello and Kevin Pillar as Toronto evened the series with an 8-4 win.

Hawkins, Magadan Depart Coaching Staff

It was announced Friday that bullpen coach Andy Hawkins and hitting coach Dave Magadan will not return to the Texas staff next season.

Hawkins, who had been with the Rangers for the past seven years, is expected to pursue opportunities with other ballclubs, while Magadan will seek coaching options closer to his Florida home.

The other six members of Jeff Banister’s coaching staff – Tony Beasley, Steve Buechele, Bobby Jones, Mike Maddux, Hector Ortiz and Jayce Tingler – were all asked to return in 2016.

Rangers Notes: Daniels, Levine Receive Three-Year Extensions

Texas GM Jon Daniels (left) and assistant GM Thad Levine have been a part of the Rangers’ front office together since 2005.

Texas general manager Jon Daniels and assistant GM Thad Levine have each been given three-year contract extensions that will keep them with the Rangers through 2018, it was announced last week.

The moves come on the heels of a disastrous season in which Texas fell to last place in the A.L. West division and saw the departure of Ron Washington, the most successful manager in franchise history.

The ballclub’s upper management nonetheless felt it was the right time to make a commitment to the brain trust of Daniels and Levine, especially after losing A.J. Preller to San Diego in August.

“Getting our baseball leadership secured for the foreseeable future was a top priority this offseason and very important for the continuity of the organization,” co-chairmen Ray Davis and Bob Simpson said in a joint release.

“Under Jon and Thad’s leadership, the Rangers have created a strong overall organization that has combined major-league success with a productive scouting and player development operation over a number of years.

“Jon and Thad are skilled executives who are well-respected around the game and completely committed to once again delivering a winning team for our fans.”

Daniels, a graduate of Cornell University, became the youngest general manager in baseball history when he was hired by Texas in 2005 following the resignation of John Hart.

He had previously worked in the baseball operations department before moving up to the GM office, and he took on the title “president of baseball operations” in March 2013.

Levine was a member of the Colorado Rockies’ front office before coming to the Rangers, and he was one of the first people brought on board by Daniels in ’05.

Mikolas, Poreda Sold to Japanese Club

It was announced last week that the Rangers had sold pitchers Miles Mikolas and Aaron Poreda to the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League.

Both Mikolas, 26, and Poreda, 28, spent time on the major-league pitching staff for Texas this season, and their departures will clear a pair of active roster spots in advance of next month’s Rule 5 Draft.

Mikolas posted a 2-5 record with an earned run average of 6.44 across 10 starts for the Rangers this summer while Poreda made 26 appearances out of the Texas bullpen, logging a 5.91 ERA over 21-plus innings pitched.

Beasley Hired to Complete Coaching Staff

The big-league coaching staff for new Rangers manager Jeff Banister was completed this week with the hire of Tony Beasley as third-base coach.

The 47-year-old Beasley was originally drafted by Baltimore but spent the majority of his playing career as a middle infielder in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization.

He remained with Pittsburgh after his playing days were over, serving as a minor-league coach and manager before shifting to Washington to serve as third-base coach under Nationals skipper Frank Robinson.

Beasley joins a Texas staff that includes Steve Buechele (bench), Andy Hawkins (bullpen), Mike Maddux (pitching), Dave Magadan (hitting) and Hector Ortiz (first base), along with assistant hitting coach Bobby Jones and major-league field coordinator Jayce Tingler.