Rangers Lineup vs Mariners: Texas Seeks Win Against Mariners’ George Kirby

The Texas Rangers are trying to chip away at their reputation of not being able to win games in Seattle as they prepare for game two of their series with the Mariners on Saturday.

The Rangers (11-9) beat the Mariners, 5-0, on Friday. Entering the game the Rangers were just 9-38 in Seattle since the beginning of the 2020 season, underscoring just how hapless Texas has been at T-Mobile Park.

Last year the Rangers went 3-11 in the season series. Now, as Texas enters Saturday’s game, I tis 4-0 against Seattle, which includes the Rangers’ three-game home sweep last week in Arlington.

A win on Saturday would give the Rangers a win for the series. But go back even further and the victory would give Texas back-to-back wins over the Mariners in Seattle for the first time since 2019.

It's the sort of streak-breaking win that could allow the Rangers to put a bit of distance between itself and the rest of the division, which to this point has admittedly been treading water.

The Rangers are facing Mariners right-hander George Kirby for the second time in two weeks. Texas beat Kirby and the Mariners, 3-2, in their first meeting and it marked the first time the Rangers had ever beaten Kirby. The lineup looks similar to what the Rangers used about 10 days ago.

Rangers Lineup vs. Mariners for April 18

Josh Jung in April:

🔵 .400 AVG
🔵 1.082 OPS
🔵 5 Multi-Hit Games pic.twitter.com/K2MdO2lhNY
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 18, 2026

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

SS Corey Seager (L)

LF Wyatt Langford

1B Jake Burger

DH Joc Pederson (L)

3B Josh Jung

CF Evan Carter (L)

2B Ezequiel Duran

C Kyle Higashioka

What stands out in this lineup compared to the one the Rangers used against Kirby last week is that Josh Jung is in it. Jung got the day off and right now Jung is the hottest batter in the bottom half of the order. He’s behind designated hitter Joc Pederson and that should help the left-handed DH see better pitches, as Kirby probably wants to tread lightly with Jung, who hit three doubles on Friday.

The Rangers aren't stacking left-handers quite as high in the order as they did on Friday, but they have four lefties in the lineup, with Josh Smith and switch-hitter Sam Haggerty on the bench. Kirby was terrific when he faced the Rangers last week, but he gave up most of the damage to the bottom half of the order. The Nos. 5-9 hitters had six of the Rangers’ seven hits and drove in all three runs. That's the part of the lineup to watch on Saturday.

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