The 2012 Texas Rangers season was the 52nd season in the overall history of the franchise and the 41st since the team relocated to Arlington, Texas. The Rangers entered the season as the two-time defending champions of the American League and the American League West. They led the division for most of the season and had a 6.5-game lead on August 12, but faltered down the stretch. They finished 93–69, but were swept in the last series of the season by the Oakland Athletics and wound up second to the Athletics in the division. They then lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the ALWC Game and were eliminated from the playoffs.
Offseason
Transactions October 31, 2011: The team exercised its club options on Colby Lewis and Yoshinori Tateyama, while also announcing that the entire coaching staff would return for 2012. November 2, 2011: RHP Darren O'Day was claimed on waivers by the Baltimore Orioles November 21, 2011: The club signed RHP Joe Nathan to a two-year $14.5 million deal with an option for a third year. He will be the team's closer and subsequently bump RHP Neftalí Feliz into the starting rotation. Nathan leaves the Minnesota Twins after becoming the all-time saves leader for the franchise over nine seasons with the club. December 1, 2011: Taylor Teagarden was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for minor league RHP Randy Henry and a player to be named later. On December 8, 2011, the player was identified as minor league 2B Greg Miclat. December 19, 2011: The team won the negotiating rights to Japanese RHP Yu Darvish for $51.7 million through the Posting system. The Rangers will have 30 days to negotiate a contract with Darvish, if no agreement is reached, then the posting fee is returned to the club and Darvish will return to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters for the 2012 season. December 21, 2011: C Luis Martinez acquired from the San Diego Padres for minor league RHP Ryan Kelly. Martinez will be put on the 40-man roster. January 5, 2012: The Rangers traded infielder Chad Tracy to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for RHP Greg Reynolds. Reynolds was assigned to Triple A Round Rock. January 18, 2012: The Rangers and Japanese RHP Yu Darvish agreed on a six-year, $60 million contract. The contract was signed 15 minutes before a 4:00pm CST deadline. Yu was formally introduced to the organization with a press conference on January 20.
Roster 2012 Texas Rangers Roster Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Manager
Coaches (third base) (hitting)
(bullpen) (pitching) (bench) (first base)
Player stats
Batting Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; AVG = Batting average; SLG = Slugging average PlayerGABRH2B3BHRRBISBBBAVGSLGIan Kinsler15765510516842519722160.256.423Elvis Andrus158629851803193622157.286.378Michael Young15661179169273867233.277.370Adrián Beltré1566049519433236102136.321.561Nelson Cruz159585861524502490848.260.460Josh Hamilton14856210316031243128760.285.577David Murphy1474576513929315611054.304.479Mike Napoli1083525380922456156.227.469Mitch Moreland11432741901801550123.275.468Craig Gentry12124031731231261314.304.392Yorvit Torrealba49161163880312114.236.342Geovany Soto47148192960525111.196.338Brandon Snyder40651118203903.277.446Alberto González2454713210400.241.315Leonys Martín244668520634.174.370Mike Olt163325100515.152.182Luis Martinez101812000000.111.111Jurickson Profar91723201200.176.471Luis Hernández2200000000.000.000Pitcher totals1622415000300.208.208Team totals162559080815263033220078091478.273.446 Source:
Pitching Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts PlayerWLERAGGSSVIPHRERBBSOMatt Harrison18113.2932320213.1210827859133Yu Darvish1693.9029290191.1156898389221Derek Holland1274.6729270175.11621009152145Scott Feldman6115.0929210123.213979703296Colby Lewis663.4316160105.09948401493Ryan Dempster735.091212069.07443392570Alexi Ogando203.27581366.04926241766Robbie Ross Jr.602.22580065.05521162347Joe Nathan352.806603764.15523201378Roy Oswalt435.80179059.07941381159Mike Adams533.27610152.15621191745Neftalí Feliz313.1687042.22815151328Mark Lowe023.43360039.13515151328Martín Pérez145.45126038.04726231525Koji Uehara001.75370136.02077343Michael Kirkman123.82280035.12416151738Tanner Scheppers114.45390132.1471816930Yoshinori Tateyama109.00140017.0181917618Justin Grimm119.0052014.0221414313Wilmer Font009.003002.002241Craig Gentry0018.001001.032210Team totals93693.99162162431442.013787076394461286 Source:
Season standings
American League West
American League Wild Card
Record vs. opponents
Game log Legend Rangers Win Rangers Loss Game postponed
|- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 1 || April 6 || White Sox || 3–2 || Lewis (1–0) || Danks (0–1) || Nathan (1) || 49,085 || 1–0 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 2 || April 7 || White Sox || 4–3 || Thornton (1–0) || Nathan (0–1) || Santiago (1) || 47,867 || 1–1 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 3 || April 8 || White Sox || 5–0 || Harrison (1–0) || Floyd (0–1) || || 45,368 || 2–1 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 4 || April 9 || Mariners || 11–5 || Darvish (1–0) || Noesí (0–1)|| || 43,002 || 3–1 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 5 || April 10 || Mariners || 1–0 || Feliz (1–0) || Beavan (0–1)|| Nathan (2) || 25,753 || 4–1 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 6 || April 11 || Mariners || 4–3 || Luetge (1–0) || Nathan (0–2) || League (3) || 32,342 || 4–2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 7 || April 12 || Mariners || 5–3 || Holland (1–0) || Vargas (1–1) || Adams (1) || 31,513 || 5–2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 8 || April 13 || @ Twins || 4–1 || Harrison (2–0) || Swarzak (0–2)|| Ogando (1) || 31,400 || 6–2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 9 || April 14 || @ Twins || 6–2 || Ross (1–0) || Duensing (0–1) || || 35,854 || 7–2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 10 || April 15 || @ Twins || 4–3 || Ross (2–0) || Perkins (0–1) || Nathan (3) || 32,093 || 8–2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 11 || April 17 || @ Red Sox || 18–3 || Lewis (2–0) || Lester (0–2) || || 38,229 || 9–2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 12 || April 18 || @ Red Sox || 6–3 || Holland (2–0) || Beckett (1–2) || || 37,967 || 10–2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 13 || April 19 || @ Tigers || 10–3 ||Darvish (2–0) ||Wilk (0-2) || || 30,029 || 11-2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbbbbb;" | || April 20 || @ Tigers || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: April 21 as part of a doubleheader |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 14 || April 21 || @ Tigers || 10–4 || Harrison (3–0) || Porcello (1–1) || || 41,427 || 12–2 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 15 || April 21 || @ Tigers || 3–2 || Verlander (2–1) || Feliz (1–1) || Valverde (4) || 35,001 || 12–3 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 16 || April 22 || @ Tigers || 3–2 (11) || Ross (3–0) || Weber (0–1) || Nathan (4) || 36,255 || 13–3 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 17 || April 23 || Yankees || 7–4 || Sabathia (2–0) || Holland (2–1) || Rivera (4) || 48,234 || 13–4 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 18 || April 24 || Yankees || 2–0 || Darvish (3–0) || Kuroda (1–3)|| Nathan (5) || 47,085|| 14–4 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 19 || April 25 || Yankees || 7–3 || Ross (4–0) || Hughes (1–3) || || 47,942 || 15–4 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 20 || April 27 || Rays || 8–4 || Shields (4–0) || Harrison (3–1) || || 47,496 || 15–5 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 21 || April 28 || Rays || 7–2 || Lewis (3–0) || Niemann (1–3) || || 49,197 || 16–5 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 22 || April 29 || Rays || 5–2 || Price (4–1) || Holland (2–2) || Rodney (7) || 43,475 || 16–6 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 23 || April 30 || @ Blue Jays || 4–1 || Darvish (4–0) || Drabek (2–2) || Nathan (6) || 21,945 || 17–6
|- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 24 || May 1 || @ Blue Jays || 8–7 || Cordero (1–1) || Adams (0–1) || || 18,774 || 17–7 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 25 || May 2 || @ Blue Jays || 11–5 || Romero (4–0) || Harrison (3–2) || || 25,123 || 17–8 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 26 || May 4 || @ Indians || 6–3 || Gómez (2–1) || Lewis (3–1) || Perez (10) || 16,147 || 17–9 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 27 || May 5 || @ Indians || 5–2 (11) || Ogando (1–0) || Smith (1–1) || Nathan (7) || 21,307 || 18–9 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 28 || May 6 || @ Indians || 4–2 || Jiménez (3–2) || Darvish (4–1) || Perez (11) || 18,171 || 18–10 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 29 || May 7 || @ Orioles || 14–3 || Harrison (4–2) || Matusz (1–4) || || 11,938 || 19–10 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 30 || May 8 || @ Orioles || 10–3 || Feliz (2–1) || Arrieta (2–3) || || 11,263 || 20–10 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbbbbb;" | || May 9 || @ Orioles || colspan=6| Postponed (rain); Makeup: May 10 as part of a doubleheader |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 31 || May 10 || @ Orioles || 6–5 || Chen (3–0) || Lewis (3–2) || Johnson (9) || || 20–11 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 32 || May 10 || @ Orioles || 7–3 || Holland (3–2) || Hunter (2–2) || || 19,250 || 21–11 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 33 || May 11 || Angels || 10–3 || Darvish (5–1) || Wilson (4–3) || || 48,201 || 22–11 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 34 || May 12 || Angels || 4–2 || Carpenter (1–1) || Harrison (4–3) || Downs (3) || 47,699 || 22–12 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 35 || May 13 || Angels || 13–6 || Feliz (3–1) || Weaver (5–1) || || 46,669 || 23–12 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 36 || May 14 || Royals || 3–1 || Chen (2–4) || Feldman (0–1) || Broxton (8) || 38,702 || 23–13 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 37 || May 15 || Royals || 7–4 || Mazzaro (1–0) || Lewis (3–3) || || 37,210 || 23–14 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 38 || May 16 || Athletics || 4–1 || Darvish (6–1) || Milone (5–3) || Nathan (8) || 46,370 || 24–14 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 39 || May 17 || Athletics || 5–4 (10) || Cook (1–0) || Adams (0–2) || Fuentes (3) || 47,182 || 24–15 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 40 || May 18 || @ Astros || 4–1 || Ross (5–0) || Rodríguez (3–4) || Nathan (9) || 34,715 || 25–15 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 41 || May 19 || @ Astros || 6–5 || Harrell (3–3) || Holland (3–3) || Myers (10) || 42,673 || 25–16 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#bbffbb;" | 42 || May 20 || @ Astros || 6–1 || Lewis (4–3) || Lyles (0–1) || || 35,873 || 26–16 |- style="text-align:center; style="background-color:#ffbbbb;" | 43 || May 21 || @ Mariners || 6–1 || Hernández (4–3) || Darvish (6–2) || || 18,672 || 26–17