HOUSTON - The first month of the season was a pleasant surprise for the rebuilding Rangers. The offense was resilient. The rest of the AL West was a muddled mess.
If you squinted hard, you might think that maybe -- just maybe -- this club might be a little further ahead of schedule than originally thought.
Fortunately, along came the Astros.
Fortunate because when you are rebuilding even a humiliating set of results can be a building block.
On Sunday, Houston bludgeoned the Rangers 15-5 to complete a four-game sweep that got increasingly lopsided as the long-weekend developed.