How Each Rangers Reliever Fared in Spring Training Opener Against Royals

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Nathan Eovaldi was the starting pitcher for Friday’s spring training opener. But the Texas Rangers were interested in who pitched behind him.

The Rangers set up a series of relievers to pitch behind Eovaldi once he was done with his start after two innings. Some have MLB jobs basically sewn up and other are fighting to make the opening-day roster. Friday was their first chance to impress in a real game situation.

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Below is how each reliever did in their appearance on Friday.

RHP Robert Garcia

The candidate to close games for Texas came in for the third inning after Eovaldi left the game and recorded one out in four hitters. He gave up a single to Makiel Garcia and then a triple to Bobby Witt Jr., which scored Garcia. Vinnie Pasquantino lined out to Corey Seager at shortstop. Then, Seager made an error on a grounder by Salvador Perez and that ended Garcia’s game.

Garcia allowed two hits and three runs. He threw 22 pitches, 14 of which were strikes. After the game manager Skip Schumaker said he came out of the game due to pitch count.

RHP Aidan Anderson

Anderson took over for Garcia after four hitters in the third inning. He gave up a hit, a double to Lane Thomas, which Rangers left fielder Michael Helman lost in the sun. He finished off the inning allowing one hit.

Anderson has pitched in the Rangers’ organization since 2023 and was 6-2 with a 3.72 ERA in 33 games last season with one save in three chances.

RHP Cole Winn

Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Winn throws a baseball. — Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Winn. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Winn took the ball in the fourth inning and pitched a scoreless frame. He threw nine pitches, five of which were strikes.

Winn was one of the Rangers’ long relievers last season and figures to have an inside track to a bullpen job in 2026. He went 0-1 with a 1.51 ERA in 33 games last season, as he struck out 35 and walked 17 in 41.2 innings.

RHP Trey Supak

Texas handed the ball to Supak for two innings after Winn. He didn’t allow a run, giving up two hits and striking out one. He threw 28 pitches, 18 of which were strikes. By that point, he was facing many of the Royals’ backups.

Supak has never pitched in the Majors and started his professional career in 2014. With the Rangers organization last year, he went 10-5 with a 3.85 ERA in 26 starts. He struck out 131 and walked 33 in 128.2 innings.

“Two solid innings, he got out of a jam,” Schumaker said. “He threw strikes and at the end he had a really good second inning.”

RHP Gavin Collyer

Collyer is one of the more buzzed about pitchers at Rangers camp. He went one inning on Friday, giving up one hit and one run. He also walked a hitter. He threw 18 pitches, but location was an issue as he threw nine strikes.

In 2025 at Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock he went 5-6 with a 4.40 ERA. He had eight holds and eight saves in 16 chances as batters hit .221 against him. He projects as a future reliever who has the capability of handling high-leverage situations.

RHP Peyton Gray

Gray came in to take the eighth inning. He threw the best inning of any Rangers pitcher, as he retired the side on three strikeouts. He threw 17 pitches, 11 of which were strikes. He matched Eovaldi’s strikeout total for the day in one frame.

He was in the Rangers’ organization last season as a reliever. With Frisco and Round Rock, he went a combined 8-6 with a 3.58 ERA in 45 games, with two starts. He struck out 89 and walked 27 in 73 innings. He also had six holds and converted one save in two chances.

RHP Mason Thompson

Thompson entered the game in the ninth inning and worked around two walks to throw a scoreless inning. He threw 13 pitches, four of which were strikes.

The Rangers signed Thompson in the offseason to a minor league contract. He played for the Washington Nationals from 2021-25 and had 7-9 record and a 5.21 ERA in 120 games. He has two saves, along with 93 strikeouts and 58 walks in 114 innings. He had Tommy John surgery in 2023.