The Phillies crushed the Rangers 9-1 on Aug. 9, 2025, spoiling Jacob deGrom's home debut. Trea Turner's 5 RBIs led the charge. Read how the loss impacts the AL West race.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
On a night that was supposed to be a showcase for the new ace in front of a packed Globe Life Field, the Phillies crashed the party early and often. Kyle Schwarber launched his 41st homer in the first, Brandon Marsh went 4-for-5 with a solo shot, and Trea Turner piled on with five RBIs, including a ninth-inning three-run blast, as Philadelphia handed the Rangers a 9-1 defeat. Jacob deGrom’s first home start since the trade deadline acquisition never found a rhythm, and a quiet Texas offense couldn’t counter beyond an opening-inning run.
We need to get back to playing our brand of baseball. The guys are grinding, but we have to execute better in key moments. — Bruce Bochy
The Phillies seized control from pitch one. Schwarber ambushed a first-inning offering to put Texas behind, and after the Rangers briefly answered with a Josh Jung RBI single in the bottom half, Philadelphia kept leaning on traffic and timely swings. Marsh’s solo homer in the fourth and a string of quality at-bats in that frame pushed the game out of shape. Turner did the late damage, capping his five-RBI night with a three-run homer in the ninth. On the mound, Jesús Luzardo (10-5, 4.32 ERA) kept the Rangers off balance for six innings, striking out six and yielding just one run before the bullpen slammed the door.
The linescore tells the story: 4 1/3 innings, four runs, five walks and a hit batter for Jacob deGrom (10-4, 2.80). The command just wasn’t there, especially in the fourth when free passes and deep counts opened the door for Philadelphia’s big swings. It marks the third straight outing in which he’s been tagged for five runs, and even with elite stuff, the misses in the zone (and outside it) are extending innings and stressing the defense. This is a micro slump for one of the game’s best, but Texas needs a fast course correction with the calendar—and the standings—tightening.
Corey Seager did what he’s done all season: compete. He went 2-for-5 and scored the Rangers’ lone run in the first after Marcus Semien and Josh Jung logged knocks in the inning. After that? Not much. Luzardo mixed speeds, and the Rangers didn’t square up enough fastballs in hitter’s counts. Jung’s RBI was the last dent Texas made as Philadelphia held them scoreless over the final eight frames. The heart of the order needs to set the tone early and often, but the bench and bottom third also have to extend innings—this lineup is at its best when it strings traffic together.
The loss drops the Rangers to 60-57, 5.5 games behind the Astros in the AL West. It’s the club’s third straight defeat and fourth in the last 10, a stretch that hasn’t been disastrous but has ceded ground at a time when every series is leverage. The math is simple: take care of business at home and keep the pressure on Houston. The margin for error is slimmer than it was a week ago.
Bruce Bochy didn’t sugarcoat it postgame: the execution isn’t there in key moments. But he also made clear the group isn’t splintering. The manager emphasized getting back to their brand—strike throwing, situational hitting, clean defense—and pointed to the upcoming homestand games as a pivot point. The team’s social channels echoed that tone. The Rangers’ official account posted, “Tough night, but we fight on. #StraightUpTX,” and leaders like Corey Seager and Adolis García shared notes of resolve. No help is coming from the transaction wire, either; the roster remains as-is, meaning the answers have to come from inside the room.
This was a gut-punch on a night designed for a statement. The good news: there’s still runway, the clubhouse is aligned, and the schedule offers chances to make up ground right here at Globe Life Field. Clean up the free passes, cash in the early traffic, and the narrative can flip quickly. August is about identity, and the Rangers’ next few games will say a lot about who they’ll be in September.
