To say the Rangers have face planted as defending World Series champions would be a vast understatement.

They are on pace for a top-three worst defending-champion campaign since the AL shifted to 162 games in 1961, entering Wednesday’s game with a 66-73 record.

Texas has less than a one percent chance of making the postseason after sticking to its guns at the trade deadline and going 12-15 in August.

The Rangers dropped a wacky series to the Yankees in that time that made for 12 runs scored per nine innings. 

Nathan Eovaldi’s start was a stinker, as he allowed three earned runs in three innings before exiting as precaution to tightness in his right side. 

The Yankees claimed that game, 8-0.

Eovaldi looks to redeem his poor Bronx fortunes in Arlington on Wednesday against Marcus Stroman, who hasn’t been the $37 million pitcher the Yankees signed him to be in January. 

Since ending June with a 3.29 ERA, Stroman is 3-3 with a 4.95 ERA spanning his last eight starts. He’s yielded 56 hits in 43 2/3 innings in that stretch.

Yankees pitchers have allowed a .308 average on balls hit into play in their last two road series, both of which they dropped to non-playoff contenders.

The first two games in this series have featured 12 and 11 runs, respectively.

The Yankees grabbed the opener, 8-4, behind a strong performance from Gerrit Cole.

They came close to grabbing Tuesday’s game but Clay Holmes tallied his 11th blown save when he surrendered a walk-off grand slam in the 7-4 loss.

THE PLAY: Yankees-Rangers Over 8.5 (FanDuel, -122)