Rangers Receive Bizarre 2026 Bold Prediction From One MLB Writer

After making some big changes since the 2025 season, the Texas Rangers will begin the 2026 season on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies on the road. It will be the first game under new manager Skip Schumaker after he took over for Bruce Bochy.

There were some big moves made this offseason and expectations are feeling different this year going into 2026. The Rangers acquired left-hander MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals to strengthen their bullpen. How the moves end up working out remains to be seen.

There is a big change coming to MLB this year with the ABS challenge system making its debut. It has been used in spring training and it will play a big part this season. Mike Axisa of CBS Sports listed one bold prediction for each team this season and his for the Rangers was bizarre.

Rangers Get Bizarre Bold Prediction for the 2026 Season

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker — Skip Schumaker | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

It is going to take time for players and umpires to get used to the challenge system this season. It's going to have its ups and downs. Axisa predicted that Texas would be the first team to pick up a walk-off win with a challenge.

"It's coming. You know. I know it. We all know it. A team will win a game when a called strike is challenged and overturned into a ball, leading to a walk-off bases-loaded walk. The Rangers seem like as good a team as any to be the first to win a game on an ABS challenge, so let's make that this bold prediction. I'm going to call my shot: Saturday, Aug. 22 against the Angels, Kyle Higashioka will benefit from the overturned ball four to win the game. (Does this not seem like something that would happen to the Angels? It totally does.),'' wrote Axisa.

One thing that we all can agree on when it comes to Axisa's prediction is that there is going to be a walk-off challenge this season. It's only a matter of time.

However, they would mean that a team would have to keep one in their back pocket very late into a game. Given how balls and strikes are called, those teams with a challenge late in a game are going to be few and far between.

What makes this prediction even more bizarre is that he predicted a Texas game in August, which is when it's predicted to happen. Again, it's bound to happen, but it would be very surprising if it took until August for it to happen. It's coming, it's just a matter of when.