Rangers Lineup vs. Rockies: Texas Faces Lefty Reliever in Starting Role

The Texas Rangers find themselves facing a pitcher they know little about who brings an inherent matchup problem.

Texas Rangers second baseman Justin Foscue. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

There’s a chance that a few of the Texas Rangers have faced Sammy Peralta.

The reliever, who has never pitched in a starting role, will be the starter for the Colorado Rockies when they face the Rangers at 7:40 p.m. central.

Colorado promoted Peralta from Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday as it was dealing with an injury to the pitching staff. The Rockies had to put young right-hander Chase Dollander on the IL that day, so this is where he would have pitched, either as a starter or a bulk reliever. Colorado has used him in both roles.

Peralta has pitched in 30 career MLB games with the Chicago White Sox (2023-24) and the Los Angeles Angels (2025). He pitched a hitless inning against Texas in 2023. In 2024 he logged 3.1 innings in two different games and allowed four runs, three of which were earned. He didn’t face the Rangers last season.

This will be his first game with the Rockies. By nature of being a left-hander he’s a matchup problem for Texas.

The Rangers are slashing .200/.281/.285 against left-handed pitching. Texas faced left-hander Jose Quintana on Monday, and he allowed seven hits and three earned runs in 5.2 innings. That included three hits by Justin Foscue — two doubles and a home run. Perhaps Texas is coming around? Well, the Rangers have fooled fans before.

Texas is also running its own bullpen arm to start the game in Tyler Alexander, with Kumar Rocker likely to follow.

Going into Tuesday’s game every team in the AL West is under .500. Texas is by no means out of the race but is squandering opportunities.

Rangers Lineup on May 19

Texas Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

DH Andrew McCutchen

2B Justin Foscue

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

3B Josh Jung

SS Ezequiel Duran

1B Jake Burger

LF Alejandro Osuna (L)

C Danny Jansen

CF Evan Carter (L)

LHP Tyler Alexander

The Rangers are going with right-handers in five of the top six spots in the order, along with lefty Brandon Nimmo, who hits left-handers as well as right-handers. The Rangers seem to expect Colorado to move to a right-handed reliever after Peralta leaves the game. That explains stacking two lefties at the bottom of the order. Osuna will bat seventh and Carter will bat ninth. They may face Peralta once but likely not twice.

Foscue moves up in the order after having a great game on Monday against a left-hander. McCutchen is a curious choice for the leadoff spot for the second straight game.