Three takeaways as Texas Rangers avert disaster for first win of season
The Texas Rangers avoided a complete meltdown to earn their first victory of the season, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 in 10 innings Saturday at Philadelphia.
The day started with bad vibes when two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom was scratched from his start with a neck injury.
Despite that, Rangers fans had nothing to complain about for the first eight innings — until Texas carried a 3-0 lead into the ninth. Then last season’s nightmarish problems closing games carried over into 2026.
This time, the Rangers were able to rebound in extra innings, scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single from designated hitter Andrew McCutchen to earn the victory.
The Rangers and Phillies will finish their opening three-game series at 12:35 p.m. Sunday. Texas’ big offseason trade acquisition, left-hander MacKenzie Gore, will make his first start for the Rangers against Philadelphia lefty Jesus Luzardo.
Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s win:
Is there a closer on the roster?
The Rangers went a mind-numbing 37-for-66 in save situations last season, and they started 0-for-1 in 2026.
Left-hander Robert Garcia, who went 9-for-16 on save chances last season, got the first shot this season, and it didn’t go well. He recorded the first two outs, then gave up a single to third baseman Alec Bohm and walked second baseman Edmundo Sosa.
New Rangers manager Skip Schumaker turned to right-hander Chris Martin to try to record the final out, and in fairness to Martin, he seemed to have gotten the job done by inducing a foul pop-up from former Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia. However, first baseman Jake Burger lost track of the ball and didn’t secure the out.
Things fell apart after that. Garcia doubled to score Bohm, then left fielder Brandon Marsh hit a two-run single to tie the game at 3.
After the Rangers scored two in the top of the 10th, left-hander Tyler Alexander got the team’s second save opportunity of the season. He hit pinch hitter Otto Kemp, then recorded two outs before allowing an RBI single to first baseman Bryce Harper.
With the tying run on third and the winning run at first, Alexander finally got Bohm to pop out to shortstop to end the game.
So make the Rangers a dramatic 1-for-2 on save opportunities so far.
Jacob Latz fills in for Jacob deGrom
Starting on short notice, left-hander Jacob Latz gave the Rangers four no-hit innings with three strikeouts and one walk.
Right-hander Cole Winn relieved Latz after he gave up a leadoff walk in the fifth, and Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto ended up breaking up the no-hitter with an infield single.
Latz narrowly lost the battle to be the fifth starter in the rotation to right-hander Kumar Rocker in spring training. DeGrom said Saturday that he thought he would be able to make his next start, but Latz appears to be a capable fill-in.
Jake Burger’s bat working
Burger’s fielding miscue nearly led to a defeat, but he appears to be bouncing back at the plate after a dismal 2025.
Burger homered for the second straight game to open the season, a two-run shot to left in the third inning.
He is 5-for-9 (.556) on the young season with two homers and four RBIs after hitting .236 with 16 homers and 53 RBIs in 103 games last season.
Shortstop Corey Seager also hit first home run of the season Saturday.
This story was originally published March 28, 2026 at 7:16 PM.
