With Jacob deGrom Set, Here’s How Rangers Can Plot Remainder of Road Trip

It made sense for the Texas Rangers to stay on time for Thursday's game with the Los Angeles Angels and that's what they decided to do.

Before Wednesday's game, the Rangers announced that Jacob deGrom would take the ball in Thursday's finale against the angels. deGrom will be starting on normal rest. He made his last start for the Rangers on Saturday against Baltimore.

The Rangers left the final three games of the four-game set as TBA entering Monday’s opener as they were trying to determine what to do with Nathan Eovaldi, who experienced elbow discomfort while playing catch on Sunday.

After he was moved to the injured list the Rangers approached the final three games on a day-by-day basis. With deGrom set to start on Thursday, it's worth exploring how the Rangers could plot the rest of the road trip and what other variables might influence their decision making this weekend against the Athletics.

How Rangers Could Plot Out Athletics Series

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker walks off the mound during a game. — Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Traditionally, the Rangers announce their starting pitchers the day before a series. When they don't, it's usually indicative of something going on in the rotation. The Rangers could simplify things by announcing their rotation before Thursday's game.

Whether they do or don't, it's relatively easy to plot out how the final three games of the road trip in West Sacramento might transpire.

Friday’s starter should be Kumar Rocker (4-9, 4.46), who would pitch on normal rest. Even though president of baseball operations Chris Young acknowledged the Rangers are monitoring the right-hander’s workload — he’s already thrown more innings than in any season as a pro — it's unlikely he'll be pulled from the rotation right now.

One thing to consider is that left-hander Jordan Montgomery has yet to throw on the road trip after tossing 75 pitches in relief on Sunday against Baltimore. If he doesn't pitch in Anaheim, that would make him available to either start or eat up several innings behind Rocker. But Montgomery was not as effective as hoped in his debut.

Saturday starters should be left-hander MacKenzie Gore (6-9, 4.43), who started Monday's game and put together one of his better starts of the season. Like Rocker, he would be pitching on normal rest. There would be no reason for the Rangers to slide Montgomery or any other pitcher into Gore’s spot unless he comes up with an injury while on the trip.

Sunday’s starter would be Cody Bradford (0-1, 2.38), who was the hard-luck loser on Tuesday as he threw seven innings and allowed three runs. Starting Sunday would be notable because it would be his first start on normal rest since he made his season debut last week in Arlington.

Bradford is coming off major elbow surgery that erased his entire 2025 season. He did pitch on normal rest in the minor leagues while in his rehab assignment.

It all leads into an off day on Monday as the Rangers return home after the Athletics series as they host back-to-back three-game series with the Washington Nationals and the Angels. The Nationals opener kicks off a nine-day stretch without a break, ending with a three-game road series at the Chicago White Sox.

The off day allows the Rangers to give all of their starters an extra day of rest and, if necessary, a chance to reset the rotation.

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