Rangers Monday Fastball: What We Learned, What It Means 22 Games into Season

The Texas Rangers are heading back home after a long road trip. Here are the things that mattered as they come home.

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung. | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers returned to Arlington on Sunday night after a 4-6 road trip and setting on an 11-11 record. It could be better and it could be worse.

Now, Texas prepares for one of its longest homestands of the season, a nine-game affair that starts on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, followed by the Athletics and the New York Yankees. It’s going to be a big test for Texas, which in just six games at home has had an anemic offense.

At the end of the homestand, we have a better read for how this remade offense plays at home.

Three Numbers that Matter

The Jungster stays hot! #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/QanIqmKKFo

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 19, 2026

Slashing at Home: The Rangers have a slash of .203/.263/.308 at home after six games. That includes just two home runs and 10 RBI. To be fair, Texas has played 15 road games, the most the Rangers have played in their first 22 games in franchise history. But it must improve and fast. Texas scored just 12 runs in six homes games and went 3-3. That slash line won’t work long-term.

An ERA of 2.00: Here’s why Texas split the first homestand. The pitching staff had a terrific ERA at home, even in the three losses. It held hitters to a .196 batting average and clinched saves in all three chances. Opponents hit as poorly at Globe Life Field as the Rangers did.  

Nine extra base hits in the last seven games: That’s what Josh Jung did at one point in last week’s road trip. He was the hottest batter in the lineup and comes home with a .290 batting average after going 0-for-3 with an RBI against Seattle on Sunday.  

What it means? The formula the Rangers used during the first set of home games is unsustainable. The Rangers can’t count on that sort of pitching from homestand-to-homestand so it needs the bats to begin heating up at GLF. Seeing a hitter like Jung, who stumbled out of the gate, find his groove on the road is heartening. Now, he and the rest of the lineup must translate that hitting at home now.  

Bullpen Usage

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jakob Junis. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Rangers return home with one of the best bullpens in baseball, albeit quite overused. The Rangers used five relievers in three of the final four games of the road trip and the bullpen’s ERA blew up, by its standard to a little over 3.00. That kept the Rangers’ bullpen the best in the AL and the fifth-best in baseball.

Texas recorded just one save on the trip, courtesy of Jakob Junis. Rookie Gavin Collyer claimed his first MLB win in relief and Cal Quantrill claimed his first Rangers win in relief. Texas lost Luis Curvelo to a biceps injury and Chris Martin to a right shoulder impingement during the trip. Carter Baumler will be eligible to return from the IL on Tuesday.

What It Means: The bullpen needs an off day in the worst way and it will get it on Monday. The road trip didn’t have an off day and the homestand won’t either once it begins. Texas doesn’t have many optionable relievers. The ones that have options are needed. It’s possible the Rangers make a move or two during the homestand for fresher arms since they’ll be closer to farm teams. But, the bullpen also needs more coverage from the starting pitchers, who had a hard time getting into the sixth inning on the road trip.

Skip Schumaker on Mariners Starter Bryan Woo

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“Well, he threw a lot of fastballs. He just kind of beat us in the zone. We had some good at-bats, some hard hits but just nothing really to show for it. But again, Woo had a low pitch count, 70 something pitches through 7.0 maybe. He was just on the attack and we couldn’t move the ball forward like we wanted to. Runners in scoring position this series, we just weren’t great at.”

Woo claimed the win against Texas on Sunday, as he allowed four hits and two earned runs in seven innings. He struck out six Rangers and walked one.

What it Means: Texas has a 4-2 season lead on Seattle. But some elite starting pitching matchups are ahead when the teams meet again in July for a four-game series in Arlington.  

A Cy Young Worthy Thursday?

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers haven’t released their pitching probables for the series yet. But if one is willing to look ahead Thursday’s game at Globe Life Field might be worth going to. It could feature Rangers starter Jacob deGrom against Pittsburgh starter Paul Skenes. That’s three Cy Youngs between them.

Skenes pitched on Saturday but only threw four innings. deGrom pitched on Friday against the Mariners. deGrom should pitch on Thursday because that’s how the Rangers are scheduled out with the off day. The Pirates can start Skenes on normal rest because of the off day on Monday if they choose to.

What it Means: If the Pirates go that way with Skenes, it’ll be a terrific pitching matchup and Skenes’ first appearance at GLF since he started for the National League in the 2024 All-Star Game.