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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Decisions, decisions, decisions.

The Rangers have quite a few to make as they enter their first offseason in four years without a postseason game.

Will Nelson Cruz be back? How about Joe Nathan? Others, such as catchers A.J. Pierzynski and Geovany Soto, outfielder David Murphy and pitcher Matt Garza will be discussed ad nauseam before the winter meetings in December in Orlando.

Manager Ron Washington touched on the big ones -- Cruz and Nathan -- during his postmortem press conference Tuesday morning, 12 hours after the Rangers lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 in the American League tiebreaker game. He and general manager Jon Daniels and the rest of the brain trust will sit down at some point and go over all the options.

The big one is Cruz. He was suspended for the final 50 games of the regular season for violation of Major League Baseball's Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Cruz has to shoulder a portion of the blame for the Rangers' not making a stronger push for the AL West title, as they gave it up to Oakland in the final month.

The Rangers were disappointed by Cruz's decision-making and suspension, but they also know there's a lack of right-handed power hitters in the major leagues, and the minors too. The Rangers are likely to make Cruz a qualifying offer of about $13.5 million.

Washington, for one, would welcome Cruz back.

“When you think about a Nelson Cruz, who wouldn’t want a Nelson Cruz?" Washington said. "Big heart, great teammate, but there’s a lot of decisions to be made on our part and Nelson’s part. I do believe Jon Daniels will go down that road and see where it works or doesn’t work."

Then there's Nathan. The Rangers have a $9.5 million option on him for 2014, with a $750,000 buyout, a contract that Nathan can void and become a free agent. Nathan, 38, made it clear all season that he expects to pitch for several more years and will seek a multiyear deal.

Nathan blew three saves this season and finished with 43 saves. He may walk the tightrope sometimes, which drives the fan base crazy, but he's reliable and gets the job done.

“I thought Joe Nathan had a tremendous year,” Washington said. “I think at the end of the year, Joe Nathan proved to everyone that doubted him what he was made of, and I certainly would love to continue giving him the ball because he gets outs.”

There will be other decisions. Both Pierzynski and Soto would like to return, but the Rangers may set their sights on free-agent-to-be Brian McCann.

They gave up a lot for Garza, including pitcher C.J. Edwards -- who pitched tremendously for the Cubs in the minors after the trade. Is that reason enough to bring Garza back? Did he show enough despite going through a maddening stretch in August and September?

Whatever happens, this will be a fascinating offseason, one in which Daniels and his staff will have to make their mark.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers' charge to the playoffs at the end of the season was stopped by the team they eliminated from the postseason in 2010 and 2011, the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays outplayed the Rangers on Monday night in the American League wild-card tiebreaker game for a 5-2 victory at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Tampa Bay got the clutch home run, ran the bases better and played a flawless game in the field to move on to Wednesday's AL wild-card game against the Cleveland Indians.

Oh no, Longo: The Rays' Evan Longoria is at his best late in the season. He did it again Monday night, giving the Rays a 3-0 lead in the top of the third with a long two-run home run to right-center field that just got over the glove of Leonys Martin. Longoria also had a one-out double in the top of the sixth and scored on pinch hitter David DeJesus's RBI single to give the Rays a 4-1 lead.

Rangers get on board: Craig Gentry led off the bottom of the third with a single. With Gentry running, Martin grounded out to third base to give the Rangers a runner in scoring position. Ian Kinsler then lined a single into center field to cut the Rays' lead to 3-1.

Rios comes through: Alex Rios continued his torrid play late in the season, scolding a double off the left-field fence to score Elvis Andrus and cut the Rays' lead back to two runs at 4-2.

Baserunning mistakes: The Rangers upped their season total to a brutal 111 outs on the bases by getting picked off first base twice by David Price, who isn't known for having a great move. First, it was Andrus in the bottom of the first after drawing a one-out walk. After Kinsler drove in the Rangers' first run, he got picked off first base on a nice move by Price.

Perez's night: Rookie Martin Perez made his first postseason start, and while it wasn't the exact result he was looking for, he did keep the Rangers in the game for the first five innings. Perez allowed four runs in 5⅓ innings and was taken out after 74 pitches for Alexi Ogando, who gave up the single to DeJesus to give the Rays a three-run lead.

Leonys gets the call: The Rangers were the recipients of a very gracious call from left-field umpire Bruce Dreckman with two outs in the top of the seventh. With two runners on, Delmon Young sent a sinking line drive into center field that Martin made a diving attempt for in front of him. The ball actually one-hopped its way into Martin's glove, but Dreckman made the out call much to the chagrin of Rays manager Joe Maddon.

Cruz's night: Nelson Cruz played for the first time since his 50-game suspension and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. Cruz almost changed the direction of the game in the second inning. With the Rangers trailing 1-0 and Adrian Beltre on second after a leadoff double, Cruz worked a 2-2 count and hit a screaming line drive that Rays first baseman James Loney snared. Cruz led off the bottom of the fifth with a grounder to third. He led off the seventh with a swinging strikeout on a full count.

Price goes nine: Price finally got over his curse of the Rangers. He worked a strong complete game and allowed two runs. Price came into the start with an 0-3 postseason record and a 10.26 ERA at Rangers Ballpark. But he had none of that on Monday night. Yes, he got a favorable strike zone from plate umpire Jeff Kellogg, who did have an impact on the game, but Price took advantage of it and allowed six hits and walked only one.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Rangers manager Ron Washington isn't planning on having a quick hook for 22-year-old starter Martin Perez in Monday's American League wild-card tiebreaker game.

But he has plenty of arms to turn to if needed.

Washington said all of his pitchers, including starters Alexi Ogando, Matt Garza and Derek Holland, are available to come out of the bullpen in Game 163, an elimination game, against the Tampa Bay Rays. Yu Darvish is the only pitcher who won't be used.

PODCAST
Nolan Ryan joins Galloway and Company to discuss having Nelson Cruz back in the lineup and how the Rangers are feeling heading into their wild-card play-in game against the Rays. Listen

Ogando is the most likely to be the first starter used because of his experience pitching out of the bullpen. Washington said he'll just flow with the game and base his decision on how far to go with Perez on how his innings are going.

"It just depends on what is happening," Washington said. "If he has issues in the first inning, it could be the first inning. If he has issues in the fifth inning, it could be the fifth. It could be the second, the third. We just have to see what scenario is being played out there."

Washington said he'll work with his complete bullpen Monday night. The Rangers' pen has dominated during their seven-game winning streak, allowing one run in 20 1/3 innings. They have 27 strikeouts.

Setup man Tanner Scheppers has thrown 36 pitches while throwing four straight days, so his low count helps. Closer Joe Nathan also has pitched four straight days and he's available for the elimination game.

Keeping his pitch count down has been huge for Scheppers.

"It helps him to allow us to use him," Washington said. "He comes in and pounding the strike zone. What Joe's been doing after Scheppers has been outstanding."

Scheppers said there's no stopping now and that he'll be ready.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Scheppers said. "You can't be down for (Game) 163."

Put Gentry in ink: Nelson Cruz's return to the Rangers' lineup as the designated hitter means that Washington was able to keep Craig Gentry in at left field, which is good because Gentry is the Rangers' hottest hitter with 17 hits in his last 36 at-bats. He wasn't coming out for anyone.

"I never thought about taking Gentry out of there," Washington said.

Wash on Price: Rays starter David Price, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, has not pitched well against the Rangers. He has a 10.26 ERA in Arlington and has lost all three postseason starts against Texas.

If the Rangers have a secret, they're not revealing it. "I can't give you that," Washington said. "It's something that happened."

Washington said the Rangers have the utmost respect for Price, who is 9-8 with a 3.39 ERA this season.

"We're certainly not that confident that we're going to go out there and destroy Price because of what we've done in the past," Washington said. "It's Sept. 30, 2013 and this is a different time and a different day. We just have to go out there and continue to play our game and see what happens.

"Believe me, there's no one in this clubhouse taking Price lightly."

Short hops: Injured pitcher Colby Lewis, the Rangers' best all-time postseason pitcher, will throw out the first pitch before Monday's game. He'll also be in uniform for the game. Washington said that Lewis and Matt Harrison will accompany the Rangers on the road if they make the postseason. ... The Rangers and Rays are the only teams in the major leagues with four straight seasons with 90-plus wins.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nelson Cruz has been reinstated by the Texas Rangers after a 50-game suspension for using a performance-enhancing drug and will bat sixth and be the designated hitter in Monday's American League wild-card tiebreaker game at 7:07 p.m. at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

PODCAST
Nolan Ryan joins Galloway and Company to discuss having Nelson Cruz back in the lineup and how the Rangers are feeling heading into their wild-card play-in game against the Rays. Listen

RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
RF Alex Rios
3B Adrian Beltre
C A.J. Pierzynski
DH Nelson Cruz
1B Mitch Moreland
LF Craig Gentry
CF Leonys Martin
P Martin Perez

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays have a Game 163 in front of them, an American League wild-card tiebreaker game Monday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Rangers will start left-hander Martin Perez against Rays left-hander David Price at 7:07 p.m. CT on TBS, ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM and 1540-AM.

Perez (10-5, 3.55 ERA): The 22-year-old Perez makes the biggest start of his career. ... He allowed three earned runs in seven innings in his previous start against Houston. ... He was 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA in 31 innings in September. ... Perez had a six-game winning streak in August and September that carried the Rangers while other starters struggled to record wins. ... He is 3-3 with a 3.38 ERA at home in eight starts. ... Perez has faced the Rays once in relief, allowing two runs in five innings.

Price (9-8, 3.39 ERA): Price allowed two runs in seven innings in an 8-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday. ... He is 1-2 with a 3.78 ERA in five starts in September. ... Price is 7-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 14 road starts. ... Price has not faced the Rangers this season, but historically he hasn't pitched well against them. ... Price is 1-4 with a 5.98 ERA in eight starts in the regular season against the Rangers. ... He's 1-2 with a 10.26 ERA at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, allowing four home runs in 16 2/3 innings. ... He is 0-3 with a 4.66 ERA against the Rangers in three postseason starts.

Hitters: Evan Longoria is 1-for-2 against Perez. Nelson Cruz, who returns Monday night, is 6-for-12 with two home runs and four RBIs against Price. Alex Rios is 10-for-23 with two homers and seven RBIs against the Rays lefty.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Rangers finished the season with seven straight wins, all at home, to extend their season. If they want to play into October, they'll need to make it eight straight with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Texas won the season series after splitting a four-game set last week. Let's take a look at three reasons the Rangers win and three reasons their season ends tonight.

3 REASONS RANGERS WIN:

1: Momentum. This team has a bunch of that right now, and it's not as if they have to worry about travel or anything else. They can treat this like a continuation of the week. It's been a really good week. They are getting clutch hits. The starting pitching has been solid, and the bullpen has been lights out. The Rangers are playing confident baseball. No reason to think it won't continue.

2: Nelson Cruz. No other playoff team welcomes the kind of bat the Rangers do. Cruz, whose 50-game suspension ended after Sunday's final pitch, is the kind of streaky player who can carry an offense. He hasn't played in a big league game since early August, but that might not matter. He's a force to be reckoned with and he'll be in there for Game 163. He said Sunday that he's excited to have a chance to help the team he left because of the suspension early last month.

3: David Price. Seems strange to put him in there, but take a look at his numbers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in his career. They are ugly. He's got a 10.26 ERA in his career in Arlington, though he hasn't pitched in Texas since August 2012. His postseason numbers against Texas aren't great, either. He's 0-3 with a 4.66 ERA in three American League Division Series starts in 2010 and 2011. If the Rangers hit him like they have in the past, it's a recipe for moving on to Cleveland on Wednesday.

3 REASONS RANGERS LOSE:

1: Price. No, that's not a typo. The reality is that, while Price hasn't been the same pitcher in 2013 that he was in 2012, he's still a Cy Young Award winner. He'd like nothing better than to finally beat the Rangers in a game that matters, and he has that opportunity. If the Price of last season shows up, it could be a long night for the Rangers.

2: Tired bullpen. The Rangers' relief corps has been tremendous this week. They've also been worked hard. There was no choice, of course. Any loss would have meant the end of Texas' season. But Joe Nathan and Tanner Scheppers have pitched in each of the past four games. Do they have a fifth straight game in them? Manager Ron Washington needs innings from his starter and some help from other arms in his bullpen.

3: Martin Perez. He's got 10 wins and hasn't looked like a rookie out on the mound of late. He also seemed very calm answering questions from the media in the clubhouse after Sunday's game. But what if he squints in the bright lights? That could change everything. Perez is a big X-factor in this game. That should be interesting to watch.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Rangers aren't revealing anything about what could happen after Sunday in a wild-card play-in game or wild-card game.

Nothing about Nelson Cruz, who wasn't in the Rangers' clubhouse Sunday morning. Nothing about Monday's potential starting pitcher, which on rotation would be Martin Perez.

Not a thing.

"We don't know about anything past today," Washington said.

The Rangers probably have a good idea, they're just not going to say it until after they beat the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. That would mean the season would go on, either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday depending on how Tampa Bay and Cleveland do.

Washington said that everyone is available for Sunday's game, including Perez and potential Wednesday wild-card game starter Matt Garza.

Pierzynski is DH: Washington wanted A.J. Pierzynski in the lineup Sunday against a left-handed starter, so he's the designated hitter with Geovany Soto catching Yu Darvish for the fifth straight game.

"I want A.J.'s bat in there. Period," Washington said. "He's a threat."

Pierzynski is 6-for-24 with four RBIs during the Rangers' six-game winning streak. Soto has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .393 with two home runs and five RBIs.

Darvish forecast: If Washington could have one wish for Darvish's start, he was asked by a reporter if he would want it to be fastball command. He offered another answer.

"I wish that the headlines be, 'Darvish dominates,' in big letters written by you," Washington said.

Washington on Game 162: For the third straight season, the major league season comes down to Game 162 with three teams -- the Rangers, Rays and Indians -- battling for two playoff spots.

It's amazing when you considered the regular season lasts six months and comes down to one day on the schedule.

"When you have the balance that the league has, it happens," Washington said. "This new format makes it exciting. If we had four division winners, it probably wouldn't be. But this gets other teams involved and sometimes you don't have to have that super year to have a chance. That's what I think the commissioner has done with this game and the format we're in. You never know what's going to happen in a one-game playoff. We proved that last year. I'd rather be in that one game than not be in it at all."

Short hops: Craig Gentry's right ankle is doing OK after it was stepped on by Angels' first baseman Mark Trumbo in Saturday's game. Gentry said he will have the ankle taped as usual as he starts for the ninth straight game in left field. ... Rangers TV broadcaster Steve Busby turns 64 today.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Suspended outfielder Nelson Cruz continues to work out in Surprise, Ariz., at instructional leagues as the Rangers desperately miss his bat.

Whether he'll play again for the Rangers -- if they make the playoffs -- has still not been determined, at least publicly. The Rangers have to turn around a seven-game losing streak starting Tuesday night against Tampa Bay, and Cruz has to get game-ready.

“He has been working out in the outfield, hitting and doing baserunning drills,” general manager Jon Daniels said. “I don’t know if he’ll be in every game. We’ve got a lot of guys who need work, but he’ll get at-bats so he can be ready as an option. Then we’ll make a decision.”

The Rangers sure could use Cruz in the lineup. He had a team-best 27 home runs and 76 RBIs when he was suspended for 50 games Aug. 5. He's still second on the team in home runs, one behind Adrian Beltre.

The Rangers have gone seven consecutive games without a long ball.

On the homer drought: The Rangers' homerless streak is their longest in 23-plus years. They went eight games without a long ball from Aug. 10-17, 1990.

The Rangers enter Tuesday night's game going 269 at-bats and 297 plate appearances without a home run; the team's last HR was Alex Rios' solo shot off the Angels' Jason Vargas in the first inning on Sept. 8.

Short hops: The Rangers' rotation in September has a 1-12 record with a 5.99 ERA entering Tuesday's game. It's the second-highest starters' ERA in the major leagues in the month. ... Derek Holland has been charged with two more earned runs after a scoring change was made in the Rangers' game Sept. 7 in Anaheim. J.B. Shuck hit a soft grounder that Holland fielded and threw away down the right-field line for a two-base error. The call was changed by Joe Torre, MLB executive vice president of baseball operations, to a single with an error on Holland to advance Shuck to second base.

There was a time, about a month ago, when it appeared the Texas Rangers' offense could survive Nelson Cruz's 50-game absence. They immediately stressed versatility by putting all kinds of pressure on the opponents by running wild on the bases. They got some key hits, found a way to drive in runs with less than two outs with a runner at third and took advantage of opposition mistakes.

PODCAST
Jayson Stark joins Richard Durrett to give his thoughts on the AL West race, Matt Garza's struggles, the wild-card race and more. Listen

When Cruz accepted MLB's punishment for his role in the Biogenesis mess, he was hitting .269 with 27 homers and 76 RBIs. He led the team in homers and runs scored and the Rangers won six of the final seven games in which he played. Cruz even hit a home run in his final game (and three in his final five).

For a while, the Rangers kept things going. In fact, they sustained a decent clip through most of August, going 16-5 in the first 21 games after Cruz exited. They hit .278 as a team and stole 34 bases in that span. Texas had 10 games of at least 10 hits in that stretch and on Aug. 29, the Rangers were three games up on the Oakland A's in the AL West. The offense had 6.4 runs per game in those 21 games without Cruz. They were steaming along. It helped that they were playing teams that were struggling, too. But they were doing the job.

But in the 12 games since that point, things have totally flipped in the AL West. The Rangers' offense is scoring just 3.2 runs per game. The starting pitching has faltered in September, and the defense hasn't been as crisp. The normally reliable bullpen couldn't even get the job done Wednesday in the final game of a three-game sweep at the hands of the Pirates.

Where Cruz is missed is with those bats, which aren't delivering in the clutch and just don't have any power right now. The Rangers are 3-9 in the last 12 games and have turned a three-game lead into a three-and-half-game deficit. They have only 11 homers in those games.That's one fewer than the number of ground-ball double plays they've hit into. The Rangers have just 30 walks while striking out 90 times.

Not having Cruz in the middle of that lineup is clearly an issue now. And in the process, I wonder if his value isn't actually increasing as he sits out. Every MLB team can see what he means to this Texas lineup because he's not in there providing some pop. Cruz is getting himself ready to play for the postseason, but he'll have to jump into the playoff fire without having played in a regular season game in the days and weeks leading up to it (and at this point, that would be a one-game AL wild-card game to determine if they advance to the divisional series).

Cruz left his team at the worst possible time and they managed to get along without him for a few weeks. But right now he's sorely missed. And there's nothing he can do about it. This current group has to find a way to score some more runs to make sure Cruz gets another opportunity to help his club in 2013.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Suspended Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz started workouts at the club's spring training complex in Surprise, Ariz., on Wednesday as he prepares to possibly rejoin the team if it makes the playoffs.

Cruz, suspended for the final 50 games of the regular season after being linked to the Miami-based Biogenesis Clinic, went through full defensive drills and batting practice with the players who are on injury rehabilitation.

The Rangers said he will continue workouts tomorrow.

The Rangers have not made a commitment to Cruz on whether he'll return if they do see the postseason. Texas has lost nine of its past 12 games and has struggled offensively, scoring its most runs in a 7-5 loss Wednesday to the Pittsburgh Pirates since it also scored five runs Aug. 21 against the Houston Astros.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- All that fretting over what would happen to the Texas Rangers' offense when Nelson Cruz was lost because of his suspension proved to be wasted energy.

The Rangers are averaging a major league-best 6.6 runs per game since Cruz, who was leading the team in home runs and RBIs, was suspended Aug. 5 for being linked to the Biogenesis clinic. Repeat that, best in baseball, by half a run over Arizona.

Pleasant surprise?

"If Nelson was in that lineup, I think the same thing would have happened," manager Ron Washington said. "I really do. Maybe more because he probably would have produced some of those runs. But the way things set up and got going, the game presented that to us and we rose to the occasion."

The Rangers' blueprint for offense has changed. That's well-documented. But it becomes clearer when analyzing the numbers.

They are third in the majors with a .402 on-base percentage (Cruz had a .330 OBP). They are also third in walk rate with 10.2 bases on balls per nine innings.

Cruz has been missed from a power standpoint. The Rangers have hit six home runs in 13 games, tied for the least in the league.

But it hasn't mattered. The Rangers have scored 15 and 16 runs in two of their past three games on just one home run. They had an 11-run inning in Monday's 16-5 victory.

They have 24 stolen bases with the top two hitters in the lineup, Leonys Martin and Elvis Andrus, combining for 15 of them.

"That's how you can become consistent," Washington said. "A.J. Pierzynski says sometimes the home run can stop momentum. So if guys can go up there and put the ball in play and find a hole and go from first to third, that's the kind of baseball we want to play."

Waking up Pierzynski: Twice on Monday night, the Astros intentionally walked Adrian Beltre to get to Pierzynski. Houston paid for it the second time.

Pierzynski ripped a two-run single in the third inning for a 4-1 lead, igniting an 11-run inning. He also had another RBI single in the inning and the Rangers' first home run in 46 innings later in the game.

"All you're doing is waking up a sleeping dog," Washington said. "If you want to walk Beltre, then wake up Pierzynski."

Piezynski has 15 RBIs in August. He has nine hits in 17 at-bats with runners in scoring position. That's producing in the clutch.

Pierzynski had a season-high four hits Monday, the most by a Rangers catcher since Mike Napoli in 2011. It was the first four-hit game by a Ranger since Cruz did it July 13 in Detroit.

No move anticipated: The Rangers will continue to look at the trade market with Houston's Erik Bedard and Washington's Dan Haren among starting pitchers who have cleared waivers, but don't look for a move to be made.

Texas appears ready to go with Travis Blackley and Alexi Ogando when he comes off the disabled list to fill in as the No. 5 starter.

“I am comfortable with what we’ve got, always looking around but I don’t anticipate anything,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “There are a few guys who have cleared waivers but I’m not optimistic that there’s going to be the right fit between somebody we have interest in that is truly available at a price we think is worth it. So we are fully expecting to go with this group, and I don’t mean that in a negative way -- we like our team.”

Following the plan: Washington said his players executed a handful of plays that weren't called from the dugout Monday night, and he's OK with that.

Washington said he didn't have a hit-and-run on when Andrus ripped a single through the right side of the infield in the first inning. Martin has the green light to run and Andrus was swinging if the pitch was a strike.

"They might have had a plan," Washington said. "It looked like he was certainly trying to hit the hole."

Second baseman Ian Kinsler also bunted on his own with two on in the third inning, getting credit for a sacrifice bunt to move Martin and Andrus to second and third. It gave the Astros a chance to walk Beltre with first base open, and Pierzynski made them pay.

"I don't see anything wrong with those two issues right there," Washington said. "I love the hit-and-run. When I put it on, they don't execute. If they can put and execute it, I'm all good with it. That's the type of baseball I like to play."

Short hops: Beltre is batting .422 since Cruz was suspended Aug. 5. Beltre, who was in the lineup as the DH on Tuesday, is batting .400 for the month. ... Neftali Feliz pitched a scoreless inning for Triple-A Round Rock on Monday night, throwing 17 pitches. Feliz may be in line to throw two innings in his next outing, and Daniels said the target is for him to be ready Sept. 1. ... Daniels also said DH Lance Berkman will return Sept. 1 barring an injury. ... Triple-A Round Rock had 21 hits in a 20-2 victory over Nashville on Monday night. Outfielder Engel Beltre, a likely September call-up for the Rangers, was 4-for-7 with a grand slam and five RBIs. Left fielder Aaron Cunningham hit two homers and also had five RBIs. ... Low A Hickory outfielder Lewis Brinson had a go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth inning Monday for a 5-3 victory for the Crawdads. Brinson, the 29th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Entry Draft, is the first player with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in Hickory franchise history.

Even before Nelson Cruz accepted his 50-game suspension from MLB, the Rangers had preached doing more of the little things to get on base and create runs.

But once the slugger exited, manufacturing runs had to become more of a priority. Cruz was this club's top home run hitter and run producer, and no one was going to make up for that by swinging the bat harder and hoping for more long balls.

Last night was a prime example of that versatile Rangers offense.

They scored a whopping 11 runs in the third inning of a 16-5 win over the Houston Astros and did it without a home run. In fact, they had one extra-base hit in the frame. It was about singles, taking advantage of fielding mistakes by the Astros and stealing bases.

As ESPN Stats & Information notes, since Aug. 5, when the suspensions came down, the Rangers have scored 6.6 runs per game, tops in the league. And they've done that despite just six home runs hit.

The Rangers have the third-best on-base percentage since Cruz left the lineup, thanks in large part to drawing walks. The Rangers have the third-best walk rate in that span, too.

The club has 24 stolen bases since Aug. 5. No team in the majors has been more aggressive on the bases than the Rangers, who lead the league in swipes since that time.

The reality is the club needed this type of offense even before Cruz exited. But now that he's out, they've been even more aggressive.

Sometimes it's gotten them into trouble (see Sunday's game against the Mariners when they weren't as smart as they needed to be on the bases). But more often it's produced runs and put major pressure on the opponent.

At the same time, it's taken pressure off the lineup to feel like they've got to smash the ball everywhere in order to win games.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz will spend the next 12 days in the Dominican Republic training at his home gym, the first step to possibly returning to the team when his 50-game Biogenesis suspension is completed.

That would coincide with the Rangers making the postseason. And as far as that goes, the Rangers haven't made a decision yet about whether he'd play. They have to get there first.

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"Our goal right now, as it always is, is to keep our options open," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "We want to do what we can to keep him [in] as good as shape as possible, as good as baseball shape as possible.

"First of all, we have to get there. We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. We’ve got to get there first to have the conversation."

Daniels repeated what he said last week when Cruz was suspended for the rest of the regular season. The All-Star outfielder's conditioning, how the team is playing, how the club is jelling, all of that will factor into the Rangers' decision.

At that point, the Rangers would probably let Cruz play in games in the fall instruction league.

Daniels said Cruz will also work out a few times at the Rangers' complex in Boca Chica while he is home.

"He’s been in touch with our conditioning staff and has his program," Daniels said. "Once he gets back, we’ll have a next step at that point."

Washington on Harrison: The Rangers announced Tuesday that left-handed starter Matt Harrison will not pitch again this season because of issues with his surgically repaired back.

Harrison will rest and get ready for the offseason and spring training. There is no structural damage to his back, so Harrison should return ready to go in 2014.

"It's disappointing for Harrison's sake," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He worked so hard to get back. It just didn't work out. It's just another adverse happening in our 2013 year as the Texas Rangers. We'll figure out a way to move forward and wish Harrison good health."

Rosales hopes to settle in: Utility man Adam Rosales started his second stint with the Rangers on Tuesday after being reclaimed by Texas on Monday.

Since Aug. 2, he has been on the Oakland A's roster twice and now the Rangers twice as the teams have swapped claiming him off waivers. He made a smart move by leaving his car in Dallas. Rosales realizes that until Sept. 1, when rosters expand, he's on standby.

"I didn't have any options yet so teams have to designate me," Rosales said. "That's why we're playing pingpong."

The Rangers have a bigger need for Rosales this time around after Triple-A Round Rock infielder Leury Garcia went to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday to complete the Alex Rios trade.

"With us giving up Leury, we certainly didn't have anything to back up our infield," Washington said. "We wanted him when we claimed him the first time. We were just hoping no one would claim him when we put him back out there."

Berkman's running still issue: Designated hitter Lance Berkman was set to play Tuesday and Wednesday for Double-A Frisco, provided the weather cooperated.

He was 3-for-7 with a home run in two games with Triple-A Round Rock. But running on his ailing left hip and right knee has still been difficult.

"He swung the bat well," Washington said. "He's still having issues with the running. We'll see if it's getting better with two games in Frisco."

Short hops: Right-hander Neftali Feliz is still day-to-day with Triple-A Round Rock due to triceps tendinitis. He's scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday. ... Round Rock catcher Eli Whiteside, a possible call-up when rosters expand in September, was 3-for-4 with his fifth home run Monday. ... Joe Nathan earned his 35th save in Houston on Monday, giving him eight seasons with 35-plus saves. The only other two closers to do that in major league history are Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman, who have each done it 12 times.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers are back at home after a 9-1 road trip.

They've won eight straight games and 13 of 14. The home fans will see a red hot baseball team.

Now, it's time to improve on a 33-24 home record with two games against Milwaukee, followed by an off day Thursday and then three-game series against division rivals Seattle and Houston.

Here's what to watch for in a brief two-game series against the Brewers:

PODCAST
Nolan Ryan joins Galloway and Company to discuss the Rangers' hot streak and quick turnaround since their slump in July. Listen

Brewers finishing long trip: The Brewers are on the final swing of a three-city road trip that started in San Francisco, then went to Seattle and now ends in Texas after a long flight. The Brewers have done well on the trip, going 4-3 with a series win over the Mariners. They've won eight of their last 14 road games. They scored 10 runs in each of their wins at Seattle on Friday and Saturday before losing 2-0 on Sunday to Felix Hernandez.

Rare trip to Texas: Milwaukee will play in Arlington for the first time since 2007 when the Brewers lost two out of three to the Rangers. The teams split two games in May in Milwaukee. The Brewers still have strong Texas ties with general manager Doug Melvin, who held the same post with the Rangers from 1994-2001. Milwaukee gave the Rangers fits during their American League days and lead the all-time series 163-134.

Cleanup hitter returns: Aramis Ramirez will be back in the Brewers' lineup for the first time since July 6. He's been out with a sprained left knee. The knee problem has forced Ramirez into three disabled list stints, and that has robbed the Brewers of a key run producer, made worse by Ryan Braun's current 65-game suspension. Ramirez is batting .271 with five home runs and 26 RBIs.

No Cruz, Braun: Both pitching staffs will face lineups without a key power hitter -- for the Rangers it's Nelson Cruz, and for the Brewers it's Braun. Both players got caught in the Biogenesis case and are suspended for the rest of the regular season. The Rangers took the bigger hit because they are playoff contenders and Cruz was their home run and RBI leader. Bruan had nine home runs and 38 RBIs but only played in 61 games because of a back injury.

Power and speed: Brewers shortstop Jean Segura and center fielder Carlos Gomez are two of just three major league players with at least 10 home runs and 30 stolen bases. Segura, who came over to Milwaukee last season from the Angels in the Zack Greinke trade, has 12 home runs and 33 stolen bases. Gomez has 18 home runs and 30 stolen bases.

The Texas Rangers head into Monday's action one game ahead in the AL West despite a rash of injuries and the suspension of Nelson Cruz. The fact that manager Ron Washington has managed to keep his team together and in contention with everything going on around him is one of the top jobs done by anyone this season and should have him in contention for AL manager of the year.

But is it the best job he's done since becoming skipper prior to the 2007 season? Let's look at some of the choices:

2008: Washington's team started 7-16, and it sure appeared that his days could be numbered. Nolan Ryan had just taken over as team president, and Washington was not his hire. But Washington never changed his approach or attitude with his team, and his steadiness amid the pressure impressed everyone, including Ryan. More importantly, Washington's team improved. The Rangers were over .500 for the rest of the season. Considering how young the team was and how they started, it was a terrific managerial job.

2010: In the middle of spring training, Washington had to get up and apologize to his team once news of a failed drug test became public. Washington then held a news conference and his entire team showed up in support. The skipper handled that situation as well as he could have, and his team rallied behind him. But that wasn't the only obstacle he dealt with that season. The team was facing financial troubles once former owner Tom Hicks was forced to sell, and the future of the Rangers ended up in court. Washington would not allow his club to lose focus from what it could control on the field, even when he had to make an appearance in bankruptcy court himself. While the team went through an auction that eventually resulted in an ownership group of Ray Davis, Bob Simpson, Nolan Ryan and Chuck Greenberg -- who is no longer with the organization -- the Rangers just kept winning. Washington navigated his squad through the AL in the playoffs, too, resulting in the first World Series appearance for the franchise.

PODCAST
ESPN Dallas' Todd Wills joins Fitzsimmons and Durrett to react to the Rangers' trade for Alex Rios and discuss how it impacts the team down the stretch. Listen

2013: Shortly after the season began, the Rangers lost 2012 18-game winner Matt Harrison to injury. He still hasn't returned. Colby Lewis, thought to be coming back in June, will not return in 2013. Texas went into the offseason with high hopes but watched as Zack Greinke spurned the team to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli departed. The Rangers were left to fill one of those spots with Lance Berkman, who is currently rehabbing and hoping his knees hold up. Perhaps for some teams, the possibility of losing a slugger like Cruz to a suspension would loom over the club, but not this one. Cruz played well before the suspension and Washington's team hasn't lost since Cruz sat down starting last Monday. This season's club, more than any other since 2010, is playing in Washington's mold. The Rangers have become the versatile offense he was hoping for. They can hit the home run but don't rely on it. Texas, after starting the season slowly in this department, is having productive outs, utilizing its speed and putting pressure on the opponent. The skipper has also picked the perfect time to call team meetings. Twice this season, the Rangers have responded after getting together and talking things out.

To me, this is Washington's best season, considering everything that's gone on. This was a team many didn't expect to stay as competitive as it has. What do you think? Which season of the three above is Washington's best?