Three Rangers Matchups That Matter as Lineup Set for Blue Jays, Dylan Cease

The Texas Rangers have set their lineup for Saturday’s game with the Toronto Blue Jays and three matchups that matter most.

Texas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers hope to avoid the traps of the past two games as they prepare to face the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

In both wins on Thursday and Friday, the Rangers took big leads early and then had to scramble to win the game. That means leaning into Jakob Junis and Jacob Latz in consecutive games, something manager Skip Schumaker doesn’t like doing. But it’s paramount to win games in an average AL West race where Texas is only 1.5 games out of first place.

Junis and Latz are unlikely to be available on Saturday. That means Schumaker will have to use any of the relievers that haven’t pitched the past two games, including rookie Winston Santos, who has yet to pitch since he was promoted on Wednesday.

Here is Saturday’s lineup and three matchups that matter.

Texas Rangers Lineup for June 27, 2026

Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson and third baseman Josh Jung. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

DH Joc Pederson (L)

CF Wyatt Langford

SS Corey Seager (L)

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

3B Josh Jung

1B Jake Burger

LF Jarred Kelenic (L)

C Elias Diaz

2B Nicky Lopez (L)

Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays

Texas Rangers pitcher Cal Quantrill. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto.

Saturday: 2:07 p.m. — TV: Rangers: Rangers Sports Network, can be streamed on Victory+; Blue Jays: Sportsnet; Radio: Rangers: KRLD 1080, KFLC 1270; Blue Jays: SN590 THE FAN

Starting Pitchers

Saturday: Texas RHP Cal Quantrill (3-0, 3.73) vs. Toronto RHP Dylan Cease (4-3, 2.75)

Three Rangers Matchups that Matter

Texas Rangers left fielder Alejandro Osuna congratulates center fielder Wyatt Langford. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Nicky Lopez: No hitter in the lineup has more experience against Cease, thanks to their days squaring off in the AL Central when Lopez was with the Kansas City Royals and Cease was with the Chicago White Sox. In 23 career at-bats Lopez has a .261 batting average with an RBI. The lifetime .248 hitter’s bat has been a bonus. He’s slashed .329/.364/.384 since joining Texas. He’s batted consistently in the No. 9 spot, and he’s helped flip scoring chances to the top of the order.

Wyatt Langford: He’s only faced Cease once, but his bat is smoking hot right now. In his last 15 games he’s slashed .359/.406/.703 with six home runs and 15 RBI. He’s emerged as the leadoff option against left-handed pitching. He’s also flirting with a pace that would get him to 20 home runs for the second straight season. He was predicted to be the engine for this offense. He’s gassed up.

Daulton Varsho: The Blue Jays center field is slashing .333/.391/.714 with two home runs and five RBI in his last seven games. That’s important as he faces Cal Quantrill on Saturday. Varsho has a great history against the right-hander, with a .750 batting average, including a home run and an RB in four at-bats. Yes, it’s a limited sample. But depending on where the Blue Jays hit him in the order, he could get at least two cracks at Quantrill.