The previous departure of the Rangers from Minute Maid Park was marked by a scene of leftover champagne bottles, ski goggles, and various other remnants from a celebratory event.

The series against the Astros kicked off with Angel Hernandez’s questionable strike calls and one pitcher venting frustration by punching a door. Surprisingly, that turned out to be the Rangers’ most favorable day of the three-game encounter. From there, things took a nosedive. 

The weekend concluded with an 8-5 defeat, with Marcus Semien’s three-run homer in the ninth inning providing a mere consolation. Throughout the series, the Rangers struggled defensively, conceding at least eight runs in each game. Even their top pitcher, Nathan Eovaldi, fell victim to Jose Altuve’s home run prowess. 

The bullpen, often a source of concern, faltered once again, albeit less dramatically. By the time they departed for Detroit, the Rangers found themselves at .500, a stark contrast to their promising start. Over the course of three days, they made several adjustments to their pitching staff in search of a solution to their bullpen woes, a challenge that continues to vex them.

In summary: Cole Winn and Austin Pruitt are now in the bullpen, while Brock Burke, who had an altercation with a door, landed on the injured list with a broken right hand. Cody Bradford, who had been a pleasant surprise this season, also joined the injured list due to a stiff back. Yerry Rodriguez, who had a rough outing, has been instructed to stay in Houston and refine his skills with Triple-A Round Rock, which starts a series against Sugar Land on Tuesday. 

Michael Lorenzen will officially join the rotation on Monday. Manager Bruce Bochy acknowledged the bullpen’s ongoing struggles.