ARLINGTON, Texas _ The countdown is on to 2020, the roof and who knows what in the home dugout at Globe Life Field.
It's safe to assume that Bartolo Colon won't be there. If he is, the Rangers will really be in trouble.
That has nothing to do with what he did Monday night across the street from the big hole in the ground. He allowed three runs in five innings as the Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3.
But if he's needed to oil up his right arm for his age-47 season, that would be a glaring indicator that the rebuilding Rangers still hadn't developed enough starting pitchers from their farm system.
A large group of players in the batting lineup Monday might already have a place on the 2020 team. The rotation, of course, is the biggest question, not that the other 29 MLB teams will have theirs all figured out.
Only 100 more Texas Rangers home games until everyone finds out.
The Rangers should know by then if Ariel Jurado, Joe Palumbo, Yohander Mendez, Ronald Herrera, Clayton Blackburn and Jonathan Hernandez will be of help, maybe Tyler Phillips, and whether Taylor Hearn will be a starter or a reliever. The same goes for Hans Crouse.
That assumes they all avoid Tommy John surgery. Conveniently, Palumbo and Blackburn already have theirs out of the way.
But of the nine players in the Rangers' batting order Monday, seven have contracts for 2020 and that doesn't include the rehabbing Nomar Mazara or utility players Jurickson Profar and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
It's conceivable that top prospects Leody Taveras and Julio Pablo Martinez, both center fielders, are making a case for themselves.
Of those given the chance to make a case for themselves this season, first baseman Ronald Guzman looks to be a fixture. His defense has been terrific all season, and he homered again Monday, off Zack Greinke, as he quiets concerns about his lack of power.
Guzman's blast to start the third inning was homer No. 13 in his 89th game. The most he has hit in a season as a professional is 16 over 127 games in 2016.
In the fourth, Joey Gallo took a one-out walk before Robinson Chirinos connected for a three-run homer. Gallo, who misread a fly ball to right field during a two-run first for the Diamondbacks, entered the game batting .350 in August. It was his sixth walk of the month.
Chirinos was next, connecting for the 16th time this season. He is one of the two players who doesn't have a 2020 contract, along with Adrian Beltre, and Kiner-Falefa and Jose Trevino could be ready for full-time duty at catcher.
But Chirinos, who added an RBI single in the eighth, has given the Rangers little reason to consider looking elsewhere. He is one homer shy of his career-high, set last year, and he has lifted his average more than 30 points the past 31 games.
The Rangers rave about his leadership skills and readiness for each game. Pitchers like throwing to him. Opposing pitchers find it far less appealing.
Greinke didn't like seem to enjoy it. Chirinos saw 21 pitches in three at-bats against the former Cy Young winner, who was briefly linked to the Rangers during the winter meetings in a trade that would have included Shin-Soo Choo.
The deal never gained traction, and the two highly compensated players stayed put. Had a deal been worked out, the Rangers might have tried to flip Greinke last month at the trade deadline.
But the talk, even nine months old, suggests that general manager Jon Daniels might be willing to make a splash this offseason for the future. He confirmed last month that it's a possibility.
Similar to the San Diego Padres signing free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer in the offseason, the Rangers could seek a veteran player via free agency or trade who could be a finishing piece for the 2020 team.
It doesn't seem like Globe Life Field will be the future home of Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, the head of the free-agent class this winter. Then again, ownership has yet to order Daniels to dump salary.
Maybe they will to save up for the 2020 roster.
The countdown to Opening Day 2020 is under way. With 100 home games to go, who knows what will be in the home dugout.
