Somewhere within a 162-game season, a team is going to have hiccups and hot streaks, and play important games and in marquee series. A team will also play games and series that almost no one will care about, but every game counts the same.
The 2017 Texas Rangers know the drill.
The American League West, which they have won the past two seasons, has improved from last season, and the Rangers could find themselves in a three-team race as they attempt to three-peat.
Interleague play is against the National League East, and the Rangers’ “natural” interleague rival this season is the San Diego Padres.