Jake Burger's Power Surge in Rangers' Loss

0:00On March 27, Jake Berger made a huge statement in the Texas Rangers opening day loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Rangers fell five to three on Thursday, but Berger went three for four at the plate with two runs batted in and a run scored. His two run homer in the ninth inning gave Texas a spark after they managed his four hits and a walk through the first eight frames. Manager Skip Schumaker has Berger slotted in the cleanup spot, batting behind Brandon Nemo, Wyatt Langford, and Cory Seeger. He wants that top of the order locked in for consistency, especially after the Rangers struggled there in recent years. That spot used to belong to Adoles Garcia, whose production dropped off before Texas, let him go in the offseason. He ended up with the Phillies and was in their lineup for the opener. Now, the Rangers are counting on Berger to fill the void and deliver power. Last year was rough for Berger. His worst season yet, at 236, with 16 homers and 53 RBI. Injuries like an oblique strain, quad issue, and wristbrain sidelined him, even leading to offseason surgery.

1:06Before joining Texas, though, he crushed it. 34 homers in 2023 and 29 in the next year with the White Sox and Marlins. Berger slimmed down and added Pilates for better flexibility this winter. If he built on Thursday's performance, he could be the offensive boost the Rangers desperately need moving forward. From around the league, powered by AI, this is MLB News today. I'm Cory with the story.