The Texas Rangers didn’t help themselves Sunday, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
And now their season is over.
The Rangers lost to the Minnesota Twins 6-4 in the regular-season finale Sunday in Minneapolis, ending their hopes of returning to the postseason for the first time since winning the World Series in 2023.
A victory wouldn’t have mattered, though, as the Houston Astros finished off an 9-0 win over the Athletics shortly thereafter in West Sacramento, California.
The Rangers (80-82) came into Sunday needing a win and an Astros loss to claim the American League West title. Instead, Houston (81-81) wins the division and will host the Chicago White Sox in a Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.
This is the first time an MLB division winner has finished .500 or worse.
The Rangers were exactly .500 last season at 81-81, and they were a game worse in manager Skip Schumaker’s first season.
On Sunday, the Rangers fell behind 3-1 in the third inning, and Minnesota extended that to 5-1 in the fifth inning.
Trailing 6-2 entering the ninth inning, the Rangers got a two-run home run by shortstop Corey Seager to cut the deficit to 6-4, but first baseman Jake Burger struck out swinging and center fielder Ezequiel Duran flied out to left to end the season.
Game schedule dates, times, locations Sept. 22 New York Mets 6, Rangers 3 Sept. 23 New York Mets 7, Rangers 2 Sept. 24 Rangers 3, New York Mets 1 Sept. 25 Minnesota 10, Rangers 2 Sept. 26 Rangers 6, Minnesota 2 Sept. 27 Minnesota 6, Texas 4 Season complete Sept. 17 Wings 97, Los Angeles 77 Sept. 19 Wings 87, Phoenix 82 Sept. 21 Phoenix 87, Wings 86 Sept. 23 Wings 103, Seattle 91 WNBA playoffs First-round series (best-of-3; Golden State leads 1-0) Game 1: Sept. 27 Golden State 104, Wings 80 Game 2: Sept. 30 vs. Golden State, 8 p.m., ESPN Game 3 (if necessary): Oct. 2 at Golden State, TBD Sept. 13 N.Y. Giants 28, Cowboys 20 Sept. 20 Cowboys 37, Washington 20 Sept. 27 Baltimore 34, Cowboys 31 Oct. 4 at Houston, 12 p.m., Fox Oct. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video Oct. 18 at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m., NBC Oct. 26 at Philadelphia, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC Nov. 1 vs. Arizona, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 8 at Indianapolis, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 15 vs. San Francisco, 3:25 p.m., Fox Nov. 22 vs. Tennessee, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 26 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., Fox Dec. 7 at Seattle, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC Dec. 20 at L.A. Rams, 3:25 p.m., CBS Dec. 27 vs. Jacksonville, 7:20 p.m., NBC Jan. 3 vs. N.Y. Giants, 12 p.m., Fox Jan. 9 or 10 at Washington, TBA Aug. 29 North Carolina 15, TCU 10 Sept. 12 TCU 63, Grambling State 7 Sept. 19 TCU 31, Arkansas State 7 Sept. 26 Central Florida 21, TCU 13 Oct. 3 vs. BYU, 6 p.m., ESPN Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA Nov. 6 at Arizona, 9:15 p.m., ESPN Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA Nov. 26 at Texas Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN Sept. 5 Indiana 52, North Texas 16 Sept. 12 North Texas 44, UNLV 6 Sept. 19 Texas State 49, North Texas 35 Sept. 26 North Texas 63, Houston Christian 14 Oct. 1 at Tulsa, 8 p.m., ESPN Oct. 10 vs. Charlotte, TBA Oct. 24 at Navy, 2:30 p.m. CBSSN Oct. 29 vs. Florida Atlantic, 6:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2 Nov. 7 vs. Rice, TBA Nov. 14 at UTSA, TBA Nov. 21 at Tulane, TBA Nov. 28 vs. UAB, TBA All home games at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium Aug. 27 Central Oklahoma 59, Texas Wesleyan 7 Sept. 5 McNeese State 52, Texas Wesleyan 0 Sept. 12 Texas Wesleyan 56, Texas College 20 Sept. 26 Texas Wesleyan 41, Nelson 16 Oct. 3 at Arkansas Baptist, 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at Louisiana Christian, 2 p.m. Oct. 17 vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor, 1 p.m. Oct. 24 at Langston, 2 p.m. Oct. 31 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State, 2 p.m. Nov. 7 at Ottawa (Arizona), 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at Wayland Baptist, 2 p.m. Sept. 5 FC Dallas 4, Kansas City 3 Sept. 9 FC Dallas 2, Minnesota 1 Sept. 12 FC Dallas 2, Portland 1 Sept. 19 FC Dallas 0, Austin 0 Sept. 26 FC Dallas 1, LAFC 0 Oct. 10 at Charlotte, 6:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 14 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 17 at Houston, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 24 vs. San Jose, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 28 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 1-3 Dirt Track Championship Oct. 2-3 Goodguys Lone Star Nationals Oct. 14 Tony Stewart Bowling Tournament Oct. 16-17 High Limit Racing Championship Oct. 29-31 POWRi Racing
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Jim Barnes is the Star-Telegram’s sports editor. A Fort Worth native and graduate of Castleberry High School, he returned to Texas after 13 years at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He previously was sports editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald and a freelance high school sports reporter for The Dallas Morning News.