Wyatt Langford sparked the Texas Rangers’ offense early on Sunday, and the team never looked back.
Before the game, manager Bruce Bochy said he’d noticed Langford making better swings lately, even if the results hadn’t shown up yet. Turns out, Bochy’s instincts were spot on.
Langford, who had been in a month-long slump, delivered in a big way with a bases-loaded double in the first inning that ignited the Rangers’ 8-1 win over the Atlanta Braves and completed a three-game sweep at Globe Life Field.
The win marked Texas’ sixth straight victory, their second consecutive series sweep, and wrapped up an 8-1 homestand just days ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. The 23-year-old Langford, who entered the game with just two hits in his last nine appearances, jumped on a two-strike sinker from Braves starter Bryce Elder and drove it deep into left-center, clearing the bases for a 3-0 lead. It was only his fifth extra-base hit of July.
Bochy admitted earlier in the day that he had considered giving Langford a mental break, but ultimately stuck with him, citing the young outfielder’s resilience. Langford had struck out 42 times while walking just 16 times over his previous 30 games.
On Sunday, though, he broke through—going 2-for-3 with a double, a single, a walk, and a run scored. It was his first multi-hit game since July 11 against the Angels. Langford was one of five Rangers to reach base multiple times in a dominant offensive display that capped a homestand with a +25 run differential over Detroit, Oakland, and Atlanta.
Josh Smith added a two-run homer in the second inning, while Josh Jung and Jonah Heim drove in three more runs in the third. Jung has now hit safely in all six games since returning from Triple-A, while Heim has bounced back from a slump with a .294/.333/.588 slash line over his last seven games.
On the mound, Jack Leiter turned in his strongest performance yet, throwing a career-high 100 pitches and matching a personal best with seven strikeouts across six innings. He allowed just one run—coming in the second after issuing two walks ahead of a Sean Murphy ground-rule double—but then held Atlanta to 1-for-15 the rest of the way. Leiter now owns a 3.48 ERA over his last six starts.
