The Texas Rangers are on fire. The team has won five of their last six. They are finally showing flashes of the recent champs they are supposed to be. But according to first baseman Jake Burger, the reason for their resurgence isn’t anything you’d find on a scouting report or in the analytics tab.
Nope — it’s divine intervention.
After ripping a two-run double in Wednesday’s 8–3 win over the Colorado Rockies, Burger slid into second base. Immediately, he turned to the dugout and made a two-handed wave that looked suspiciously Vatican-inspired. Then he topped it off with the sign of the cross.
It was part celebration, part sermon. And it had a backstory that only baseball — and maybe the Pope — could deliver.
The story, first reported by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, highlights one of MLB’s most unexpected cultural crossovers this season.
“New Pope, New Me”
As the Rangers stumbled through a brutal April, Burger sent down to Triple-A, was trying to work his way back to a major league roster that he struggled greatly. Then, on May 8, Robert Prevost, a Chicago native and noted White Sox fan, was elected Pope Leo XIV — the first American Pope in history.
A devout Catholic and fellow Midwesterner, Burger took it as a sign.
“Basically, I kind of thought: New Pope, new me,” he told Grant on Wednesday night. “He’s a Midwestern guy like me. I was proud. And since he’s been elected Pope, we’ve been rather hot.”
He’s not wrong.
Since Pope Leo’s ascension, Burger’s been red-hot, the Rangers’ bats have come alive, and the vibes inside Globe Life Field have done a complete 180. So is it a coincidence? Karma? Or is the Vatican subtly rooting for Arlington?
A Papal Wave Worth Watching
Burger’s celebratory gesture — dubbed the “Papal wave” by some teammates — might not have the staying power of the 2010 Claw & Antlers or even Evan Carter’s 2023 praying hands celebration. Still, it’s definitely earned a few laughs and maybe a few more hits.
“I think it would be a disservice to him not to give him some credit,” Burger said, half-joking but not fully unserious. “He’s a White Sox fan. I’d like to think he didn’t like the trade, and maybe he put in a little blessing for me.”
This is baseball, after all. Where rally monkeys, playoff beards, and lucky sunflower seeds aren’t just tolerated — they’re woven into the fabric of clubhouse belief systems.
Even the Pope Is Watching Dallas
As if the whole thing wasn’t surreal enough, Burger pointed out that just days after Pope Leo XIV ascended, a viral clip surfaced of him greeting pilgrims — and among those welcomed were visitors from “Dallas, Texas.”
He smiled. The crowd cheered.
In Burger’s world, that’s not a coincidence. That’s a nod. That’s a wink from the baseball gods. Or in this case, the baseball Pope.
The Rangers Will Take All the Help They Can Get
After a sluggish start to the season filled with injuries, underperformance, and bullpen implosions, the Rangers weren’t in a position to turn down good fortune. And with the AL West wide open, a little superstition is the least of their concerns.
Jake Burger may not be leading the league in home runs, but he’s batting .417 with a 1.208 OPS since his recall and has been a spark plug both on the field and in the dugout.
For a team that needed energy, belief, and a reason to smile, Burger brought all three—and a blessing.
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