Rangers Set Lineup Against Twins in Quest to Remain Alive in AL West Race

This is it. The Texas Rangers must win Saturday. Or, maybe they don’t. It’s the AL West. One never knows.

The Rangers (79-81) face the Minnesota Twins on Saturday with the AL West title still on the line. After the Rangers fell to the Twins, 10-2, on Friday — and lost third baseman Josh Jung to a fractured right hand — the Astros lost to the Athletics. That left this strange, absurd, mediocre playoff race in a tie.

Baseball history is now assured. A division title will be won without a winning record. Before this year, the worst record for a division winner was the 2005 San Deigo Padres, who went 82-80. The manager of that team? Former Rangers skipper Bruce Bochy.

The winner of the AL West can do no better than 81-81.

The race is simple. The Rangers must finish ahead of the Astros because Houston holds the head-to-head-tiebreaker. So, Texas must keep winning — but it doesn’t control its own destiny. The Astros need to lose at least one game in the process.

If both teams win their final two games, Houston is in.

If both teams lose their final two games, Houston is in.

If the Rangers lose on Saturday and the Astros win, Houston is in.

If the Rangers win on Saturday and the Astros lose, then Texas needs to win on Sunday to be in.

Nathan Eovaldi is on the mound for the Rangers as Texas summons “Big Game Nate” for one last start this regular season.

Rangers Lineup for Sept. 26, 2026

Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger points to a teammate after scoring a run during a game. — Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger. Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

LF Wyatt Langford

SS Corey Seager (L)

1B Jake Burger

3B Ezequiel Duran

2B Nicky Lopez (L)

C Danny Jansen

CF Evan Carter (L)

DH Alejandro Osuna (L)

Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins

Where: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minn.

Series Schedule, TV, Radio

Saturday: 7:10 p.m. — TV: Rangers: Rangers Sports Network, can be streamed on BZZR; Twins: Twins.TV; Radio: Rangers: 105.3 The Fan, KFLC 1270 (Friday-Saturday); KRLD 1080, KFLC 1270 (Sunday); Twins: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App, LosTwins.com

Probable Pitchers

Saturday: Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-10, 3.86) vs. Twins RHP Bailey Ober (7-6, 4.21)

Rangers Hitter to Watch

Texas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez follows through on a swing during a game. — Texas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez. Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nicky Lopez: He’ll be in the lineup again on Saturday for a couple of reasons. With Josh Jung out, the Rangers need Ezequiel Duran to play third base, which means Lopez is the natural choice to play second base. Second, Lopez is a good matchup against Ober. In 10 plate appearances he has a .400 batting average and an RBI. Against right-handed pitching the left-handed hitting Lopez is slashing .275/.335/.324.

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