The Texas Rangers keep shaking up the baseball world in the 2023 postseason.
With their 5-4 victory against the Houston Astros on Monday, they took a commanding 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.
Many people saw the Astros, reigning World Series champions, as the favorites in the Texas series, but the Rangers are showing the world they mean business.
They still haven’t lost their first game in the 2023 playoffs and their record is now 7-0.
They won two against the Tampa Bay Rays, three vs. the Baltimore Orioles, and now two more against the Astros.
Those seven straight wins are the second most in MLB history to start a postseason.
“The Rangers are 7-0 in these playoffs, tying the 2nd-longest win streak to start a postseason in MLB history (2014 Royals – 8). Jose Leclerc has closed out all 7 games, setting a new MLB record for the longest streak to begin a postseason,” ESPN Stats & Info tweeted.
The Rangers are 7-0 in these playoffs, tying the 2nd-longest win streak to start a postseason in MLB history (2014 Royals – 8).
Jose Leclerc has closed out all 7 games, setting a new MLB record for the longest streak to begin a postseason. pic.twitter.com/pETNYkjfed
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 16, 2023
With one more win, the Rangers will tie the 2014 Kansas City Royals for the longest streak of wins to open a postseason.
Those Royals made it all the way to the Fall Classic, but ended up falling to the San Francisco Giants.
They would return to win it all the next season.
The 2023 Rangers are a special group, comprised of a really strong offense and a surprisingly solid pitching staff.
At the end of that staff, deep in the bullpen, is closer Jose Leclerc.
Leclerc has wrapped up all seven Rangers victories, and has accumulated three saves in the playoffs to this point.
In 7.1 innings, he has accumulated a rock-solid 1.23 ERA and seven strikeouts.
He has been lights out, and is a big reason behind the Rangers’ success.
As long as he is the ninth-inning option, the Astros will have a hard time scoring runs late.
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