Rowdy Tellez, Jake Burger Rescue Rangers to Beat Diamondbacks in Opener

The Texas Rangers got a game-tying home run from Rowdy Tellez in the ninth inning and a walk-off single from Jake Burger in the 10th inning to hand the Rangers a come-from-behind 7-6 win at Globe Life Field on Monday.

The Rangers (61-59) were down 6-1 at one point and the victory was their biggest come-from-behind win in a year. It included a three-run home run earlier in the game by Wyatt Langford and quite possibly Nathan Eovaldi’s worst outing of the season.

The Diamondbacks (57-62) are playing out the string and squandered opportunities after taking Eovaldi deep twice and taking control of the contest. Here are three thoughts on the game.

Monday, Monday

It's ROWDY up in here‼️ #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/ZHiKXiW2re
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) August 12, 2025

Last Monday, the Rangers were down one run in the ninth inning. Joc Pederson slammed a solo home run to tie the game, and Josh Jung walked it off with a three-run home run in the 10th innings.

This Monday, it was nearly the same thing, just different players. Rowdy Tellez hit a solo home run to the game in the ninth inning. After Texas held Arizona scoreless in the top half of the 10th, Jake Burger came on to lace a walk-off single down the left-field line to score Sam Haggerty for the victory. Burger pinch-hit for Pederson in a fitting connection to last week.

BURGER WALKS IT OFF! #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/NIEiyhJKeJ
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) August 12, 2025

This may mean nothing for this team. It can’t seem to stand prosperity, and the Rangers followed that Monday by losing four out of five games. But it’s the best possible case of the Mondays.

Nathan Eovaldi is Human

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi throws while wearing a white uniform and a blue hat — Aug 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Globe Life Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Nathan Eovaldi picked a bad time to show that he’s human as he allowed five runs in five innings in his second start of August. He gave up eight hits, struck out three and walked one.

He found himself in a bad spot in the third inning. He allowed a double to Jake McCarthy and then Corbin Carroll — a former nemesis from their 2023 World Series matchup — homered to right field to make it a 3-0 game. It didn’t end there, either.

Eovaldi hit Ketel Marte in the elbow with a pitch. He was OK and he took his base. But either Eovaldi got distracted or he threw a bad pitch because Geraldo Pedromo homered off him to make it 5-0. His eye roll after allowing the Pedromo home run is one for the ages.

Entering the game, he had a 1.38 ERA in 19 starts. Had he maintained that ERA after his 20th start on Monday it would have put him fifth in MLB history after 20 games in a season.

Instead, he walked away from the game with a 1.71 ERA and the Rangers were in a 5-1 hole.

Also, the D-backs may just be his Kryptonite.

Nathan Eovaldi surrenders another homer, this one a two-run shot by Corbin Carroll.

Eovaldi hasn't allowed multiple homers in a homer since Sept. 10 of last season, also against Arizona. He gave up three that day.
— kennedi landry (@kennlandry) August 12, 2025

Wyatt’s Big Blast

Bangford. #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/E8o2ynzRVn
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) August 12, 2025

Wyatt Langford’s bat had been quiet for a while. He hit his last home run on July 11 against Houston, which was three games before the start of the All-Star break. The slash had not been great since then — .212/.309/.282 with a .592 OPS. It was not just the lack of home runs. He only had six doubles in that 23-game span.

Well, in the sixth inning, Langford finally ended the drought with a home run. It wasn’t just a solo job either. It was a three-run shot in a four-run binge in the sixth inning in which the Rangers cut a 6-1 Arizona lead to one run.

It didn’t put the Rangers in the lead, but it did position them to rally to win late in the game. If Langford’s bat gets louder the rest of this series that should be good news for the Rangers the rest of the way.