Rangers Host Astros in Game 96 as Javier Faces Gore in First-Half Finale

Q: With ace Jacob deGrom injured, can this victory give the Rangers enough momentum to hold their slim AL West lead?

Yes—but only as a short-term boost, not a guarantee. Texas’ 6-5 walk-off win over Houston was exactly the kind of result that can steady a club heading into the break. It gave the Rangers a 49-47 record, a winning first half, and a 1.5-game AL West lead over Seattle while pushing Houston three games back. Just as important, they took two of three from a direct division rival after Saturday’s 9-3 loss, which helped prevent the Astros from gaining more ground. The bigger issue is still Jacob deGrom’s health. His mild left glute strain removes the Rangers’ most reliable starter from the immediate picture, and that matters in a division this tight. DeGrom has been a key part of the rotation, posting a 3.49 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 100.2 innings. If his absence lingers beyond the All-Star break, Texas’ margin for error shrinks quickly. What makes the Rangers’ position sustainable is not one win alone, but the signs of depth around it. MacKenzie Gore answered on short rest Sunday after a poor previous outing, and Texas has managed to stay afloat despite injuries to deGrom and Corey Seager. The AL West has also been volatile and tightly packed, which means a solid stretch—not dominance—can be enough to stay on top. So the win gives the Rangers momentum and breathing room. Holding the lead, though, will depend less on emotion and more on whether their rotation and lineup can keep covering for deGrom until he returns.

Q: Which team's high-risk pitching decision will most impact the tight AL West race after the All-Star break?

Houston’s decision on Cristian Javier looks more likely to shape the AL West race after the break. Texas took a clear one-game gamble Sunday by starting MacKenzie Gore on short rest after Jacob deGrom’s mild glute strain delayed the ace’s final first-half outing. Gore answered reasonably well, allowing one run over four innings, and the Rangers still reached the break at 49-47 and in first place. The risk is real because Gore has been inconsistent all year, but this was mainly a short-term patch to avoid a bullpen game. The Astros’ situation is broader and more consequential. Javier returned from a Grade 2 shoulder strain after missing since April 10, carrying a 10.22 ERA into the start and a recent history of injuries that has limited him to 18 starts since 2024. Houston needs him to stabilize a staff already hit by injuries and uneven performance, yet his return remains uncertain: he allowed three runs, four hits and three walks in three innings Sunday. That makes the Astros’ choice more than a single-start gamble; it is a second-half rotation bet for a club that trails Texas by three games and cannot afford more instability. The Rangers’ risk is important because deGrom’s health and Gore’s reliability will matter in a tight division. But Houston’s reliance on Javier carries the bigger potential swing. If he regains form, the Astros can stay in the race. If he does not, their path back in the AL West becomes much harder.

3 articles · Updated · Lone Star Ball · Jul 12

Game 96 closes the Astros-Rangers series and the first half Sunday, with Texas hosting Houston at 1:35 p.m. CDT.
Cristian Javier starts for Houston against Texas left-hander MacKenzie Gore in the pitching matchup for the finale.
The game is set at The Shed and will air on 105.3 The Fan and Rangers Sports Network.