Rangers Lineup vs Athletics: Texas Adds Right-Handed Hitters vs. Jeffrey Springs

The Texas Rangers have set their lineup for Saturday’s game with the Athletics with a left-hander on the mound.

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung. | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Some things are easy to figure out with the Texas Rangers. When it comes to facing a left-handed pitcher, the lineup is going to get quite right-handed.

As the Rangers (13-13) try to even up their series with the Athletics (14-12) on Saturday at Globe Life Field, Texas has only two left-handed hitters in the lineup, the ones you would expect — Brandon Nimmo and Corey Seager.

That’s because the Athletics are starting left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who claimed the win in his last matchup with the Rangers last week.

Otherwise, the Rangers are working with every right-hander it can put in the lineup. The splits are the reason why.

Texas is slashing .252/.329/.419 against right-handed pitching while it is slashing .207/.275/.308 against left-handed pitching. This is the first left-hander the Rangers will face this homestand. The Pirates threw three straight right-handers, and the Athletics started right-hander Luis Severino on Friday.

The Rangers are betting that a right-handed heavy lineup will help against Springs. It didn’t in their last matchup.

Here’s the lineup and why some batters are in the lineup, aside from a southpaw being on the hill.

Rangers Lineup vs. Athletics on April 25

Texas Rangers outfielder Andrew McCutchen. | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

DH Andrew McCutchen

SS Corey Seager (L)

1B Jake Burger

3B Josh Jung

2B Ezequiel Duran

C Danny Jansen

CF Evan Carter (L)

LF Sam Haggerty (S)

RHP Nathan Eovaldi

Rangers return Duran to the starting lineup at second base in place of Josh Smith. Plugging Duran is a bit of a gamble, though. He’s slashing .280/.333/.420 this season but only .182/.308/.273. The Rangers are playing the matchup.

Using McCutchen at DH is not a risk. In fact, this is why he’s on the roster. He’s slashing .242/.278/.394 but he’s slashing .316/.381/.579 against left-handers. These are the days he was built for.

After two straight games with Alejandro Osuna in left field, Haggerty will play in left field while Carter stays in center field. Haggerty has not batted well since spring training when he was one of the best hitters in camp. He’s slashing .133/.188/.133, but the switch-hitter’s only hits are against left-handed pitching. Carter doesn’t have a hit against left-handers in 12 at-bats this season. But, with Wyatt Langford out, Carter stays in the lineup.

Jansen is slashing .207/.258/.328 but is marginally better against left-handers (.214/.267/.286). The Rangers are unlikely to get much more out of Kyle Higashioka (.216/.310/.324 overall and .222/.222/.222 against lefties). But with a day game on Sunday, the Rangers probably don’t want to start either catcher on back-to-back days.

One other matchup to watch is Jung, who is batting .364 against Springs in 11 at-bats, including one home run and two RBI.