Rangers’ win over Astros encapsulates Schumaker’s player-led culture

ARLINGTON — Rangers manager Skip Schumaker campaigned on chemistry when he took this job nine months ago, and into the winter and through the spring, he liberally stressed the importance of a player-led clubhouse that revels in the success of others.

The concept was so crucial to the team’s foundation that Schumaker made it the thesis of his first address when camp started, and while the Rangers navigated an exceptionally weird first half of the regular season, he’d point to it when appropriate. 

That’s not to say that Schumaker can even articulate what that should all look like, because for as much as he’s pined for it, “it’s tough to really explain what true culture looks like.” 

Sunday’s 6-5 walk-off win vs. the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field was started by a pitcher who volunteered to throw on short rest with one of his teammates sidelined. It was finished by a pitcher who blossomed into one of baseball’s best relievers after he lost out on a much-desired job before the season began. It was won by a hitter acquired this winter to improve the locker room dynamics among a bevy of other things. It was the third time in the last week that the Rangers — who’ll take an improbable 1½-game American League West lead into a much-needed All-Star break — won a game after they surrendered a lead in the later innings. 

“I think that on the character side of things, and on the chemistry in here, I think that has seen us through some tougher games and tougher times,” Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo said after his walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning secured a series win. “I think that’s gotten us a few more wins than we would have without it.”

Sunday’s win was a model example, because after the Rangers scratched right-handed pitcher Jacob deGrom because of a mild left glute strain, left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore volunteered to start on only three days’ rest. Gore — who also offered to start the season’s second game after deGrom was scratched because of neck stiffness — allowed one run in four innings.

It gave Gore, who posted a 4.63 ERA in a spotty first half after the Rangers acquired him in a splashy deal worth five prospects, an opportunity to enter the break on a positive note. It gave the Rangers — specifically their exceptionally thin rotation and bullpen — a cushion to operate with. It’s the kind of act that goes a long way within a clubhouse, and Sunday morning, after he unpacked his injury, deGrom lit up in adoration when Gore’s name was mentioned and heralded “the competitor he is.”

“They brought me here to to help this team win, and so that’s kind of where it is,” Gore said. “I want to win. I always want to win. We’re in first place right now, and I’ve got an opportunity to win, and whatever I can do to help this team is what I’m going to try and do.”

A lot of that’s gone around, it seems, if you ask Schumaker. 

“[Nathan Eovaldi] wanted to pitch, too, so that’s where we’re at,” Schumaker said. “I think these guys are doing whatever they can that day to help us win, and anything less than that, we don’t put up with it. I think that’s becoming the culture in there. If anybody doesn’t give whatever they have that day, people are going to talk about it to them, and I think that’s what you want as a manager.” 

The Rangers used all they had within their bullpen to finish the season’s first half, and Sunday, needed a trio of rookies to navigate a high-leverage game after left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander and right-handed pitcher Cole Winn combined for two scoreless frames. The combination of left-handed pitcher Robby Ahlstrom and right-handed pitcher Peyton Gray, both of whom have been thrust into crucial roles because of injuries and underperformance, allowed three runs and surrendered the lead in the seventh inning. Right-handed pitcher Ben Peoples, who’d been a lifelong minor leaguer until a week ago, sank the Rangers into a deficit in the eighth inning when Astros right fielder Cam Smith pulled a solo home run over the left field wall. 

It forced the Rangers into an unexpected rally mode for the third time this homestand. Catcher Kyle Higashioka hit a solo home run off of Astros left-handed pitcher Bryan King to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth inning. All-Star closer Jacob Latz — who, ironically, was the one that filled in when deGrom was scratched before the season’s second game — pitched a scoreless top of the ninth. In the bottom half, against left-handed pitcher Josh Hader, left fielder Wyatt Langford led off with a single before third baseman Josh Jung doubled. 

Nimmo, in a left-on-left matchup, chopped Hader’s sinker back up the middle to score Langford from third base and clear the home dugout in a frenzy. The Rangers overcame blown leads against the Los Angeles Angels in Tuesday’s and Thursday’s wins, too, to clinch that series against a division opponent. 

“I think it just shows a lot of resilience from our guys.” Nimmo said. “I think that’s a character trait of good teams.”

Nimmo, affectionately dubbed the “clubhouse dad” by Rangers first baseman Jake Burger, was drenched in Powerade and given an empty Dubble Bubble bucket to wear as a hat. 

“I think we’re starting to trust each other every single day,” Burger said. “You have a nice mix, right, of younger guys, [veterans] that are professional, and I think it blends really well. It’s not too heavy in one direction and it adds to that kind of melting pot a little bit, which, I don’t know how it works, but it works.”

It doesn’t need to be explained. 

It just needs to exist. 

“The only thing that out-predicts projection is culture,” Schumaker said. “We have it.”