Rangers miss playoffs as stars struggle in final week

The Texas Rangers were eliminated from playoff contention after a 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, capping a final week in which they went 2-4 against teams with losing records. Manager Skip Schumaker said the team "fell short and that's going to hurt for a little bit" and acknowledged that the shortcomings reflected on his leadership.

Starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, who allowed eight runs in four innings in his last start, accepted responsibility, stating, "I take all the responsibility for us not making it. I had to tell the media too often about too many bad starts." Third baseman Corey Seager hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning but finished the week with a .160 batting average, nine strikeouts and no walks, far below his career norms.

The Rangers' season marked their third consecutive losing record and the ninth in ten years. With Seager and deGrom under contract for a combined $68 million next season, the club faces decisions about roster construction and payroll allocation. Both players have no-trade clauses; deGrom declined a trade to Atlanta earlier in the year, and Seager’s long tenure grants him full trade protection.

Both players indicated that any roster changes would be driven by management, with deGrom saying, "I enjoy it here. I want to be here. But that's not in my control," and Seager adding, "That's not my decision. I'm the wrong guy to ask that question." The organization will now look ahead to the offseason to address the performance gaps that kept them out of the postseason.