Rangers Set Lineup as Cal Quantrill Starts in Critical Series Opener with Rays

The Texas Rangers have set their lineup and pitching matchups for the first game of their three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Texas Rangers pitcher Cal Quantrill. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Rangers can’t take their foot off the gas now.

The Rangers (54-52) have a 2.5 game lead on the field in the American League West Division as they enter Tuesday’s game with the Tampa Bay Rays (62-43), who lead the AL East by 2.5 games.

Texas is only 5-5 in its last 10 games, but it excelled when it mattered this weekend, taking three out of four from the Seattle Mariners to extend their lead in the division just a bit. Now, the Rangers are hoping to hold serve out east as they prep for their final series before the trade deadline against the Houston Astros. That series could have big ramifications for both teams.

Here is Tuesday’s lineup and three matchups that matter to the Rangers.

Texas Rangers Lineup for July 28, 2026

Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

DH Joc Pederson (L)

LF Wyatt Langford

SS Ezequiel Duran

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

CF Evan Carter (L)

1B Jake Burger

2B Nicky Lopez (L)

3B Josh Smith (L)

C Austin Wynns

Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays

Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Tuesday: 5:40 p.m. — TV: Rangers: Rangers Sports Network, can be streamed on BZZR; Rays: Rays.TV. Radio: Rangers: KRLD 1080, KFLC 1270; Rays: WDAE 95.7 FM, WQBN/1300AM

Starting Pitchers

Tuesday: Texas RHP Cal Quantrill (3-3, 4.05) vs. Rays RHP Griffin Jax (6-7, 3.89)

Three Rangers Matchups that Matter

Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nicky Lopez: Lopez has the most at-bats of any Rangers hitter against Jax. In eight career at-bats he is batting .250 with an RBI. In 49 games with the Rangers Lopez is slashing .324/.360/.366 with one home run and 17 RBI. And to think Texas signed him for his glove. His offense has been a revelation.

Jake Burger: He has six at-bats against Jax but only a .167 batting average. He had a solid series against the Mariners, going 3-for-11 with two home runs and five RBI. Texas sat him one game due to the pitching matchup. In his last seven games he’s slashing .259/.310/.630 with three home runs and eight RBI. He’s pacing toward a second career 30-home-run season.

Wyatt Langford: Texas would love it if he would stop fouling balls of his shin. He’s a shin guard guy now. He has one at-bat against Jax without a hit, but he’s one of the hottest players in the lineup. He’s slashing .328/.359/.590 with four home runs and nine RBI in his last 15 games and he’s creeping up on a .300 batting average for the season (.284).