Close, But Not Good Enough

September 27, 2026 will be known for one thing in Major League Baseball: two teams in the American League fighting for a chance to win their division. Unfortunately, the Texas Rangers fell short of that goal Sunday. You might expect me to be angry and air my petty grievances, but I decided not to go on this route. Despite my team missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season, I'm still proud of them. Honestly, I expected them to fade away after the All-Star break. Like the true troopers they were, the Rangers stayed in the playoff chase for as long as they could. This is the one thing I'll give them credit for. They fought until the very end, but alas, it wasn't enough for them to clinch the American League West crown.

I have a much better attitude of the Rangers than last season. Whether or not baseball will be played in 2027, I believe that they'll come back even stronger. From a fan's perspective, even though not being in the Postseason hurts, we're going to be okay. I know that's hard to hear, my fellow Rangers fans, but at the end of the day, we still love our team. I've been a Rangers fan for 25 years and have witnessed this team endure losing season after losing season. Not only that, but a World Series title back in 2011 that we let slip through our fingers. Even though we have since redeemed ourselves by finally winning our first World Series title, the future is definitely bright. Besides, one subpar record doesn't define a team as a whole. I've had one of the best summers in years by attending my first Rangers game as an adult last month (the first in 25 years, but at a different venue). I celebrated a quarter century of being a Rangers fan at Globe Life Field. It was also City Connect Night, so I wore red for the occasion. We won that game against the Angels in 10 innings. The atmosphere that evening inside and outside of GLF was positive and lively. It was nothing but positive vibes being spread around amongst us Rangers fans. Several months before this, I took part in a premium stadium tour at Globe Life Field for the first time. The hour and a half tour was an enjoyable experience.

Being a fan of an MLB team is like being in a marriage. No matter how difficult things are, we stand by them and love them. I could dwell on what went wrong, point fingers, and play the blame game for weeks or even months, but I won't do that. All I can do is hope that we come back as a much improved team next season, if said season were to happen. Even though it's officially the offseason for the Rangers, I'm still going to wear my gear and support my team. To my fellow Rangers fans: this year might have ended on a disappointing note, but we're a tight-knit fanbase who is optimistic about what's to come in the new year. We'll be alright and we won't let anything or anyone stop us from becoming the best fans for our team. Sure, we may not have an enormous payroll or don't get mentioned as much by Major League Baseball, but we refuse to be compared to other teams or disrespected. As the offseason begins, continue to wear your Rangers gear, because there's no such thing as having too much love for your own team. Finally, continue to think positive thoughts because winning the AL West is still the goal. Hopefully, my encouraging words have put you somewhat at ease. We can't wait of what moves in the offseason would be made to improve our roster. Stay strong, my fellow fans. This too shall pass.