Baserunning to be on display as Rangers face Cubs

Two teams emphasizing improved baserunning have used it to help them get off to promising starts.

The Texas Rangers and Cubs will test those upgrades on Monday night when they start a three-game series in Chicago.

American League West-leading Texas finished a three-game sweep at home against Tampa Bay on Sunday with a 4-3 victory, thanks to Jonah Heim's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth that scored Josh Smith.

Heim also collected one of the Rangers' four stolen bases, giving them 14 in as many tries this year.

Texas, which has won five straight games, has swiped at least three bases in three straight games, tying the longest streak in franchise history, and got four in a game for the first time since June 9, 2024.

"Any time you can steal 90 feet is going to be huge," Heim said. "We've been doing a tremendous job on the basepaths early in the year. That's been a big emphasis coming in the year, just taking the extra 90 feet, putting pressure on defenses. If we can do that, we're going to be pretty good."

While the running game has paid off for the Rangers, they've also had issues keeping opponents from resembling the 1980s St. Louis Cardinals. They've allowed 16 steals in 17 attempts, including three by the Rays on Sunday.

Texas will have to do a better job of keeping things in check against Chicago, which starts the series as the National League Central leader despite an 8-7 loss Sunday to San Diego. The Cubs are 7-5 but own the league's second-best run differential at plus-21.

Part of that is a willingness to push the envelope, as Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa once put it, in regard to taking the extra base. Nico Hoerner displayed that mentality in the first inning Sunday, turning a ground-ball single off the glove of shortstop Xander Bogaerts into a hustle double when the Padres were slow to cover second base.

"Most days, it goes unnoticed," Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. "But we're trying to, as a group, make it important."

The Cubs have stolen 16 bases, including six by Hoerner and three by Kyle Tucker. Their fastest player, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, has three and could run more if he can get his batting average higher than its current .174.

The pitching matchup Monday could be solid, which might make each team's new-found utilization of the running game more crucial. The Rangers will send right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 1.20 ERA) to the mound against Chicago left-hander Justin Steele (2-1, 6.89).

Eovaldi last started on Tuesday night, spinning a four-hit, 1-0 shutout at Cincinnati that saw him walk none and fan eight in a 99-pitch masterpiece. In four career outings against the Cubs, Eovaldi is 0-2 with a 3.55 ERA.

Steele is coming off a 7-4 victory Tuesday night against the Athletics, permitting four runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 innings with a walk and six strikeouts. He has a 1-0 record and 1.69 ERA in two career starts against Texas.

--Field Level Media