Minor league action on 9/1/26 brought a mixed night for the affiliates, with Hickory getting strong work from its bullpen, Hub City taking a loss after a steady outing from Ismael Agreda, and Frisco seeing a big night at the plate offset by a rough start on the mound.
For Hickory, Julius Sanchez fired a shutout inning and struck out one, while Michael Trausch added two strikeouts across two scoreless frames. The offense kept the pressure on with Yolfran Castillo going 1 for 3 with a walk and two stolen bases, and Paulino Santana matching that line.
Daniel Flames doubled, Kolby Branch reached base twice on walks and also swiped a bag, and Kaden Carpenter did the same. Josh Springer and Jay McQueen each added a hit.
Hub City got five innings from starter Ismael Agreda, who allowed three runs while walking two and striking out five. Case Matter gave up two runs in one inning of work. At the plate, Chandler Pollard picked up a hit and two stolen bases, while Evan Morrison contributed a hit, a walk and a stolen base.
Frisco’s offense was the loudest of the group, but the pitching line from D.J. McCarty made the night a tough one.
He allowed eight runs in 3.2 innings, striking out five and walking two. Bryan Magdaleno followed with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts, and Leandro Lopez struck out two over two shutout innings.
At the plate, Dylan Dreiling turned in the biggest line of the night, going 3 for 5 with a double, a homer and a stolen base. Rafe Perich was 3 for 4 with a double, Sebastian Walcott went 2 for 4 with a homer and a walk, and Arturo Disla also doubled.
In Other News...
Rangers Fixed One Streaming Mess But Another May Be Coming
The Rangers have already had one streaming detour this season, moving their broadcasts from Victory+ to BZZR after growing concern about Victory+s financial stability, a concern that proved well-founded when Victory+ shut down. For now, the switch has given Texas a workable home through the rest of the year, but it also underscored how quickly the landscape around local sports media can change when a platform disappears.
The bigger question is what comes next, because the Rangers current commitment to BZZR does not solve the long-term problem. Future options could include Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV or MLB.TV, and the club is also still owed $30 million by Victory+, money that appears unlikely to be recovered. So even after one mess was fixed, another one is already lurking beyond the season. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Getting Closer On Two Returns That Could Change Everything
Josh Jung is back on the field and moving in the right direction, which is the kind of injury update the Rangers have been waiting for as they try to steady themselves heading into a series with Tampa Bay. After dealing with a strained left calf, Jung has resumed running and is now building toward running bases at full speed, a meaningful step for a player whose return would add another layer to Texas infield picture.
Nathan Eovaldi also kept his rehab moving Monday, getting through a 25-pitch bullpen session as he works back from right posterior elbow inflammation. The next checkpoint could be live batting practice, and the Rangers will keep sorting out the timing from there as they prepare for Cal Quantrill to take the ball against the Rays. With both Jung and Eovaldi inching closer, Texas has a chance to regain two pieces that could change the tone of the roster pretty quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Could Face A Costly New Threat In The AL West
Arte Morenos agreement to sell a controlling interest in the Angels to Stan Kroenke adds a new layer to the American League West, one the Rangers will be watching closely. Morenos tenure in Anaheim was defined by big-name talent and too little October baseball, even with stars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, and the prospect of a new owner with deep resources and experience across multiple sports could shift the balance in a division Texas has worked hard to navigate.
For the Rangers, the issue is not just who is running the Angels, but what kind of commitment follows. A more aggressive, better-funded rival would only sharpen the pressure in a division where payroll and competitiveness already matter, and any change in the Angels approach could have a direct impact on Texas path to staying ahead in the AL West. [Read more 🡒]