Jacob deGrom's 7 shutout innings led the Rangers to a 5-0 win over the Nationals on June 7, 2025, snapping a 4-game skid. Can they clinch the series today?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Exhale, Rangers fans. That's the feeling after Jacob deGrom put the team on his back Saturday, delivering seven masterful shutout innings to power a 5-0 victory and snap a frustrating four-game losing streak. The win evened the series with the Nationals and, more importantly, felt like a hard reset. Now, with the series on the line, the Rangers have a golden opportunity to turn one brilliant performance into a winning streak.
Jacob deGrom's seven shutout innings on Saturday didn't just win a game; they reset the entire team's psyche.
It's hard to overstate the importance of Saturday's win. The offense, which has struggled to find consistency, provided just enough support, but the story was all deGrom. His dominance silenced Washington's bats and provided a blueprint for how this team can win. Today, the mission is simple: do it again. With the series tied 1-1, the Rangers have a chance to secure a crucial series victory on the road and start climbing back up the AL West standings.
The Rangers have to be feeling good about today's pitching matchup. They'll send southpaw J. Latz (0-0, 2.94 ERA) to the hill to make his case for a permanent rotation spot. He'll face the Nationals' struggling right-hander Trevor Williams, who sports a bloated 6.03 ERA. This is exactly the kind of matchup the Rangers' bats need to see to build on Saturday's success. To add a fresh arm to the mix, the team also recalled reliever Curvelo from Triple-A Round Rock, providing some extra depth in the bullpen for the series finale.
A look at the season stats tells the story of the 2025 Rangers. The team boasts an elite 3.12 team ERA, with Jacob deGrom (6 wins) and Nathan Eovaldi (1.56 ERA) leading one of the best staffs in the league. The problem? The offense is currently hitting a collective .220 and averaging just 3.3 runs per game. While Wyatt Langford (11 HR) and Adolis García (28 RBI) have provided power, the team needs more consistent production from top to bottom. Josh Smith leads the team with a .266 average, but getting that team-wide number up is the key to unlocking this team's potential.
Winning today isn't just about taking two of three from the Nationals. It's about proving that Saturday wasn't a fluke and that the offense can support a pitching staff that has been nothing short of brilliant. A series win here could be the catalyst the Rangers need to finally start stringing wins together and making a real push in the AL West. All eyes are on the bats today.
