The Rangers got exactly the kind of finish they’ve been chasing.
Texas was stuck in a dead-even game with the Angels on Tuesday before the eighth inning turned into a runaway, with the offense putting up five runs to break it open. Ezequiel Duran delivered an RBI single, Justin Foscue added another RBI single, and Alejandro Osuna capped the burst with his first home run of the season, a three-run shot. For a club that has had trouble putting together late rallies in 2026, it was a welcome change of pace.
That win also tightened things in the AL West. Texas is now just one-half game behind the Seattle Mariners, who fell on Tuesday, while the Houston Astros sit two games back. And with the Astros coming to Globe Life Field for a three-game series that begins Friday and finishes the first half of the season, the next few days carry real weight.
Wednesday brings another look at the Angels, with Texas sending left-hander MacKenzie Gore (5-7, 4.31) against Angels right-hander Walbert Ureña (5-7, 3.03). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
The Rangers’ lineup comes with a few names worth watching closely. Osuna has already shown he can handle Ureña, going 3-for-3 against him with a hit in each plate appearance.
He hasn’t driven in a run in those meetings, but Texas would like to keep him in the middle of the action after his steady season at .252/.343/.296 with one home run and 18 RBI. He’s already nearly matched the 63 games he played last year, when he hit .212/.313/.278.
Brandon Nimmo is another bat the Rangers are counting on, even with the last week looking rough. Over his last seven games, he’s slashed .115/.233/.154, a sharp drop from the .267/.323/.433 line he posted over his previous 15. He has faced Ureña three times and has a hit, so Texas will be hoping for a cleaner night from him.
Josh Jung is the biggest question mark. The expectation was that the third baseman would be back Wednesday after missing two games following a foul ball off his knee, but that isn’t the case.
A pinch-hit appearance is still possible. Before the injury, Jung had been rolling, and his season line sits at .297/.362/.449 with nine home runs and 34 RBI.
Over his last seven games before sitting out, he was even hotter, hitting .357/.455/.643. The Rangers need that bat back in the lineup, and soon.
In Other News...
These 3 Rangers May Be Less Untouchable Than Fans Think
The Rangers trade-deadline picture is getting more complicated than a simple buyers-or-sellers label, and three names keep surfacing in the conversation. Kumar Rocker, Josh Smith and Corey Seager all sit in very different spots on the roster, but each has enough uncertainty around him to make rival clubs wonder whether Texas might listen if the right offer comes along before Aug. 3.
Rockers early run as a starter has not quite matched the raw stuff that made him such an intriguing arm, while Smiths value is tied more to his versatility than to any clear everyday role. Seager is the biggest name of the group, and his situation is shaped by the kind of long-term considerations front offices always weigh carefully, especially when a players trade protection can change if a deal is not made in time. [Read more 🡒]
Former Rangers Coach Named His Only Two Untouchables
Bret Boones recent comments on 105.3 The FAN offered a different kind of deadline lens on the Rangers, one shaped less by front-office calculus than by how he sees the rosters core. The former Texas hitting coach singled out Wyatt Langford as the kind of young, controllable player teams usually build around, pointing to the offensive ceiling and defensive flexibility that make him such a valuable long-term piece.
Boones other choice was a more surprising one, especially for a club that could hear plenty of calls on pitching depth as the deadline approaches. He made the case for Jacob Latz as a pitcher he would keep off the table, citing the way he has handled relief work and even closing duties, which gives the Rangers a useful arm with a role that can still grow. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Deadline Reality Just Got A Lot More Uncomfortable
Sitting at .500 and clinging to the final American League wild card spot, the Rangers have reached the point where every front-office move feels heavier than it should in late July. They are only a game and a half out in the division race, but the margin for error is thin enough that the deadline conversation has turned less into a simple buy-or-sell question and more into a test of how much the organization is willing, and able, to spend for a push.
The problem is that Texas does not have an easy answer on either side of the market. The farm system has already taken real hits in recent deal-making, and injuries to key players have made the current roster harder to evaluate as a true contender. Even the sell-off path is messy, with limited movable pieces and contract situations that do not create much obvious value, which is why the Rangers are staring at one of the more uncomfortable deadlines in the league. [Read more 🡒]