Advanced sabermetrics hate them. No really, they do. Fangraph’s preseason predictions have the Texas Rangers finishing 83-79. This would leave them tied for second in the AL West with both the Mariners and the Angels and seven games behind the first place Astros who are projected to finish 90-72.
Sabermetrics weren’t kind to the Rangers last year either, despite finishing with the best record in the American League and second best in franchise history at 95-67. On the final day of the season the Rangers had a 1520 ELO rating, which is barley above an average team.