The Texas Rangers are getting some well-deserved recognition in the latest MLB Power Rankings from The Athletic, landing at No. 8 this week. With a day off before heading to the Bronx for a three-game series against Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees, the team has plenty to feel good about—and a few key players to thank for the upward momentum.

Despite a 16-18 record so far in the 2026 season, the Rangers sit in second place in the American League West Division. It's been a rocky start for several teams in the division, but Texas and the Athletics have capitalized on the opportunity, keeping things tight in the standings.

The Athletic's Levi Weaver highlighted two Rangers who are making serious noise this season: left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore and third baseman Josh Jung.

Weaver first turned the spotlight on Gore, who came to Texas in a trade that was all about doubling down on an already strong pitching staff. "One number that really drives home the point?" Weaver wrote. "Gore entered Monday night as the AL leader in K/9, at 12.2. But depending on how things go Tuesday, he may lose that lead to his own teammate Jacob deGrom, who currently sits at 12.4 but hasn't yet pitched enough games to qualify for the leaderboard." That's a friendly competition any team would love to have.

Then there's Josh Jung, who appears to be finally putting it all together. "The bigger development might be that Jung seems to finally be having that big breakout season," Weaver noted. The eighth overall pick in the 2019 draft, Jung finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 but has since battled a string of injuries that kept him from finding consistency. This month, however, he's been on fire—and it's exactly the kind of spark the Rangers need.

This season, the Rangers came in with a clear mission: play better baseball. Under new manager Skip Schumaker, who stepped out of the front office and back into the dugout, the team has focused on a strong start. Sitting just two games under .500 may not look like a fireworks display, but in a division where everyone is fighting for traction, it's a position of strength. With Gore dealing and Jung heating up, the Rangers have the pieces to make a serious climb.