ARLINGTON, Texas _ Depending on a person's preferences, the 1 in the Texas Rangers' 1-2 rotation punch started Tuesday night at Globe Life Park.
The 2 in that equation, others' 1, is started Wednesday in the series finale against the Miami Marlins.
That's how Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish lined up last year as the Rangers took the American League's best record into the postseason, and they were promptly brushed aside by the Toronto Blue Jays in the division series.
Nevertheless, the Hamels-Darvish/Darvish-Hamels combination is one of the reasons the Rangers are hesitant to throw in the towel only six days from the non-waiver trade deadline.
Grab a wild-card spot and take their chances with one ace in the play-in game and the other in Game 1 one of the division series.
Hamels pitched, and pitched well enough, over six innings Tuesday night in a 10-4 victory, and Darvish is standing by to give the Rangers a series victory.
But, depending on the latest hot rumor, Darvish's start might be his last for the Rangers.
"I don't really want to think about that," shortstop Elvis Andrus said. "I don't see him out of this club. This is home for him. But that's out of our hands. Regardless of what happens with the team, there's nothing we can do about it.
"The best we can do is keep going out there and keep winning games, and let [the front office] know that we're here for a reason, that we're still going to have an opportunity this year to be in the playoffs. That's all we can take care of."
Hamels allowed four runs on six hits, but was given plenty of support as Joey Gallo hit two of the Rangers' four solo homers, Shin-Soo Choo drove in two runs and six others drove in run apiece.
Mike Napoli and Rougned Odor also went deep for the Rangers, who saw Adrian Beltre go hitless and stay at 2,993 career hits.
Darvish requested to not be asked about the trade possibilities during his weekly between-starts interview session, but he said that he has only discussed his immediate future with his family.
A source said that he was told by the Rangers of what could happen by Monday _ the Rangers could keep themselves in contention, which would lead the Rangers to keep Darvish; the Rangers could find trade offers not good enough to deal him; or he could be dealt to a contender if general manager Jon Daniels is overwhelmed with an offer.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs are thought to be the clubs in the hottest pursuit of Darvish, but a baseball source said that nothing new had developed on the trade front Tuesday.
The Rangers aren't focused on what could happen. Manager Jeff Banister said that the club is proceeding the same as they did last season, when they were 3 { up in the AL West and 16 games above .500 after their 100th game.
The only thing the players can do is play.
"That's the only thing we get to own, the day," said Banister, who was quick to remind that the Rangers were 7 { games out of first place in 2015 before rallying to the AL West title.
"Our peace of mind is to go out and play every single game as if we're trying to win baseball games. That's what they're designed to do. That's what their mind-set is. Their motivation is to continue moving forward."
The Rangers finished Game 100 of 2017 on Tuesday at 49-51 and in fourth place and 18 games back in the AL West, but only 3 { games out of the second wild-card spot.
Rangers players believe they will keep Daniels from selling off Darvish and the five other potential free agents _ the Colorado Rockies have checked in on Jonathan Lucroy, according to a source _ by posting a .500 record by the weekend.
Then, they can get the chance to play for the opportunity to apply their postseason theory _ Hamels/Darvish or Darvish/Hamels for the wild-card game and Game 1 of the ALDS.
They like their chances. They don't like the notion that Darvish's start Wednesday could be his last with the Rangers.
"He and Cole are a 1-2 punch that any team will want and any team will pay for," Andrus said. "We have them here, and, like I said, we know we're still going to have an opportunity to be in the playoffs as long as they don't touch the team. If they're going to do something, they can add instead of take."
