Seager Snaps Slump
Corey Seager's Go-Ahead Homer Ends Slump as Rangers Defeat Guardians 3-2
Corey Seager snapped the worst slump of his career with a 412-foot, two-run home run in the sixth inning, lifting the Texas Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night at Globe Life Field AP News. The blast ended a brutal 0-for-29 stretch — 11 of those at-bats ending in strikeouts — for the two-time World Series MVP, who had been out 19 games with back inflammation.
Kyle Higashioka also went deep, and Jacob Latz closed it out for his ninth save. Texas has now won six of its last seven games AP News.
Sixth-Inning Eruption Flips a 2-0 Deficit
The Rangers trailed 2-0 heading into the sixth against Guardians starter Parker Messick, who had thrown five perfect innings. Higashioka led off with a solo shot to left field — later measured at 428 feet — to cut the deficit to 2-1 AP News.
One out later, Wyatt Langford — also returning from the injured list after missing 39 games with a forearm strain — doubled to the left-field corner. Seager then drove a 2-2 pitch to left-center, 412 feet, to put Texas ahead 3-2 and end his slump for good AP News.
Seager's Return Ends Career-Worst Hitless Streak
Before Friday night, Seager had not gotten a hit since going on the injured list May 13. His batting average had fallen to .179, near the bottom of all qualified MLB hitters AP News. The 0-for-29 run was the longest hitless stretch in his 12-year career.
Seager had kept his mindset simple. "It's one of those things that you're going to figure it out out there," he said before the game. "You're going to figure it out swinging." He figured it out in the biggest moment of the night.
Guardians' Bazzana Shines Despite Team's Loss
Cleveland drew first blood fast. Rookie Travis Bazzana — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft — crushed a leadoff home run off Rangers starter Kumar Rocker in the first inning to make it 1-0 AP News. Austin Hedges added an RBI single in the fourth to push the lead to 2-0.
Bazzana finished 3-for-4 with a home run and a triple. He is hitting .407 in the leadoff spot since his promotion and is quickly becoming one of the AL's most dangerous table-setters. The Guardians (36-29) still lead the AL Central despite the defeat AP News.
Rangers' Healthy Core Now a Real AL West Threat
The Rangers activated both Seager and Langford before the game, optioning Cody Freeman and Alejandro Osuna to Triple-A Round Rock to clear roster space AP News. Team president Chris Young called the returns a major boost. "Getting Corey and Wyatt back in this lineup will be very big for us," he said.
Texas sits at 31-32, third in the AL West, but has won six of seven since the losing skid. This is also the first season under new manager Skip Schumaker, who replaced the retired Bruce Bochy. With a healthy Seager and Langford, the Rangers now look like a team that could make a real push AP News.
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