Rangers to Start Cody Bradford, Set Batting Order Against Mets

The Texas Rangers have set their lineup for the second game of their three-game series against the New York Mets on Wednesday at Globe Life Field.

Texas Rangers pitcher Cody Bradford. Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Rangers still have life but the path to an American League West title is now their only pathway to making the postseason.

Texas (78-79) lost to the New York Mets, 6-3, on Tuesday and, combined with Houston's victory over Seattle, the Rangers and Astros (78-79) are tied once again at the top of the American League West.

It's a good time to remind everyone that if the Rangers and Astros end up tied for the division lead, the Astros would win the title and take the playoff berth based on the Astros winning this season series.

The reason it's division title or bust for Texas is because the Rangers are now three games back of the final wild card berth with five games to play. That's an almost insurmountable edge to overcome. Plus, the team holding that final berth, the Chicago White Sox, has the tiebreaker over the Rangers.

The magic number is almost irrelevant at this point. The Rangers must finish one game ahead of the Astros to win the division and make the playoffs. The longer the race remains tied or if Texas falls even one game behind, the mountain becomes almost too hard to climb.

But for those interested in the magic number, it's now six for both the Astros and the Rangers. One of them could clinch the division as early as Friday.

Rangers Lineup for Sept. 23, 2026

Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LF Wyatt Langford

SS Corey Seager (L)

DH Josh Jung

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

3B Ezequiel Duran

1B Jake Burger

2B Nicky Lopez (L)

C Danny Jansen

CF Evan Carter (L)

New York Mets at Texas Rangers

Where: Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas

Series Schedule, TV, Radio

Wednesday: 7:05 p.m. — TV: Rangers: Rangers Sports Network, can be streamed on BZZR; Mets: SNY; Radio: Rangers: 105.3 The Fan, KFLC 1270; Mets: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App 92.3 HD2

Probable Pitchers

Wednesday: Rangers LHP Cody Bradford (0-5, 4.19) vs. Mets RHP Nolan McLean (11-10, 3.18)

The Rangers announced after Tuesday's loss that they would start Bradford in this game. In Bradford’s last turn the Rangers went with left-hander Tyler Alexander as an opener. That pairing worked. The pair combined to throw 5.1 in scoreless innings against the Red Sox last week. The Rangers didn't use Alexander in Tuesday's loss, so he is available out of the bullpen.

The Rangers need more length from Bradford. His 4.1 innings in his relief outing last week was his longest stretch in three starts in September. His other two games went just four innings. With five games remaining, this is Bradford’s last start of the season, though depending upon how much he pitches on Wednesday he could be available for a brief stint this weekend in Minnesota.

That's the nature of the Rangers’ situation. It's all hands-on deck from here on in.