Three takeaways from the Texas Rangers’ disappointing home opener
The Texas Rangers started their first season under manager Skip Schumaker with successful road trips to Philadelphia and Baltimore, but the Rangers fell in their home opener to the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Friday at Globe Life Field.
Before the game, the former Miami Marlins manger talked about what he would be feeling stepping on the field during the team’s home opener in front of an announced 37,635 fans.
“Being in front of the home crowd. Me personally, having my family here for the first time — they weren’t on the road,” he said. “So, you know, after the intros, you know, just standing on the foul line and looking up at, selfishly, my mom, my wife, my kids, and all the sacrifices they made for me to be in this spot and just grateful for this opportunity, and I hope every player feels the same way.”
The team’s offense, which was much maligned last season, has gotten off to a much stronger start, averaging 5.33 runs per game to start the season as opposed to 2.83 last season.
But the Rangers didn’t get the job done Friday. Texas (4-3) and Cincinnati (4-3) play again at 6:05 p.m. Saturday.
Here are three takeaways from the defeat:
Bullpen falters late
The Rangers sent out Chris Martin in the ninth inning hoping to keep the game tied at 3.
Martin entered his fourth appearance of the season with a 10.80 ERA and a blown save, and left fielder Spencer Steer, who hit a two-run home run in the second inning, led off the ninth with a double before catcher Tyler Stephenson hit a go-ahead homer to take the lead.
Martin has struggled this season, giving up runs in three of his four appearances, but Schumaker said he is confident the relief pitcher will rebound.
“I think it’s uncharacteristic,” Schumaker said. “Honestly, I think he’s going to have more good outings than bad outings, I’m confident in that. It’s early in the season. He’s had a couple innings under his belt, so he’s going to be OK.”
MacKenzie Gore’s first home start
Ahead of MacKenzie’s Gore home debut, Schumaker talked about how impressive the pitcher’s first start of the season against Philadelphia was. Gore gave up two runs off two hits in 5.1 innings of work with seven strikeouts.
Gore got off to a clean first inning against the Reds before giving up the two-run shot to Steer in the second inning for the first runs scored at Globe Life Field this season.
Gore settled in afterward, gave up no runs over his next three innings and finished the game giving up three runs off six hits in six innings of work with nine strikeouts. Schumaker complimented his performance.
“I don’t think it was a mixed outing. I thought was a good outing, quite honestly,” Schumaker said. “You know, nine strikeouts, no walks. I know he gave up a couple home runs, but it was exactly what we were hoping for, and maybe even more, against a tough lineup, gave up a couple homers. I mean, that was pretty much it. So we’ll take that outing any day of the week.”
Gore relied on his changeup and fastball to do a lot of his damage, with eight of his nine strikeouts coming off those two pitches. He talked about what’s made him effective to start the season.
“The heater is really good right now. I think everything plays off the heater,” he said. “Then we were able to make the adjustment of when guys are trying to see ball up tonight, we stuck some at the bottom, and I think we’re mixing all the pitches. The shapes are good.”
Joc Pederson’s slump continues?
Last year was tough for two-time All-Star Joc Pederson, who endured an historic 0-for-41 hitless streak and has started this year hitless in his first eight at-bats headed into Friday’s game.
Schumaker had previously said that despite Pederson’s troubles at the plate in spring training that he thought the designated hitter was doing what he had to do to be successful and reiterated that following the game.
“[Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz] made a really good play at the middle the first at-bat. The second at-bat he just missed it, hanging slider. Just missed clipping him,” Schumaker said. “So I thought he actually had really good at-bats today.”
Against the Reds, Pederson went 0-for-2, though both were hard-hit balls, before Andrew McCutchen came in as a pinch hitter for Pederson in the sixth.
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 5:46 PM.
