Rangers Set Lineup as Padres Settle on Bullpen Game for Series Finale

The Texas Rangers had to wait a bit longer to find out the San Diego Padres’ starting pitcher to set their batting order for Sunday’s game.

Texas Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Most of the time, the Texas Rangers know who the starting pitcher for the opponent when they set their lineup.

The Rangers didn't quite have that luxury when they woke up on Sunday morning. The San Diego Padres have had a TBD next to their starter’s name for Sunday since they arrived in Texas on Thursday night.

The Padres spent the weekend assessing their options in advance of their 1:35 p.m. showdown with the Rangers, until just before the clubhouses opened and the Padres selected left-handed Wandy Peralta to start the game.

Earlier this week, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said he was expected a wave of right-handed pitcher for the next week. So Peralta breaks that up. But, Peralta has only gone one inning or 1.2 innings in each of his last three outings. This is a bullpen game for San Diego.

All that said, here's what the Rangers went with on Sunday.

Texas Rangers Lineup for June 21, 2026

Texas Rangers Justin Foscue and Josh Jung. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

CF Wyatt Langford

3B Josh Jung

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

1B Jake Burger

DH Joc Pederson (L)

SS Ezequiel Duran

LF Alejandro Osuna (L)

C Kyle Higashioka

2B Nicky Lopez (L)

RHP Nathan Eovaldi

Texas’ best matchup against Peralta is Brandon Nimmo. In seven at-bats he has a home run, four RBI and a .429 batting average. Keeping him high in the order is the right call. Wyatt Langford takes his spot at the top of the order, which is what Texas has done the last two times they’ve faced lefties.

Joc Pederson is in the lineup in the No. 5 spot. He doesn’t normally face left-handers. That means the Rangers expect a steady diet of right-handers after him and dropping him to No. 5 means he may avoid Peralta entirely.

The American League West race has turned into compelling mediocrity. Seattle (39-39) leads the division, but only by a half-game over the Athletics (38-39). The Rangers (36-40) are two games back while the Astros (36-42) are three games back. The AL West is the only division in baseball without at least one team with 40 victories. It why even the Los Angeles Angels (31-47), who are nine games back, can’t be ruled out just yet.

There is no rest ahead for the Rangers — at least not until July 3. Texas heads to Miami for a three-game series that starts on Monday. The week ends with four games in Toronto. Next week Texas starts in Cleveland and then returns home on July 2 to face the Detroit Tigers. The July 3 off day is a Friday and designed to avoid a World Cup match at nearby AT&T Stadium.