Texas Rangers Open 2026 Season in Philadelphia The Texas Rangers will begin their 2026 Major League Baseball season on the road on Thursday, April 1, in Philadelphia. The game, scheduled for 3:15 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park, will feature Nathan Eovaldi as the starting pitcher for the Rangers. Eovaldi, a 2023 World Series champion with the team, will face the Philadelphia Phillies, with the broadcast available on the Rangers Sports Network and streamed via Victory+. The opening series will span three games, with the Rangers off on Friday before concluding against the Phillies over the weekend. Jacob deGrom, the team’s ace pitcher, is expected to start Saturday’s game. Phillies fans have dubbed the matchup “Ranger Danger,” anticipating high energy from both teams and the rowdy atmosphere of the Phillies’ home crowd. Despite the return of familiar faces, the Rangers are entering a new era. Former World Series-winning manager Bruce Bochy retired in the offseason, and the team has hired Skip Schumaker to manage through 2029. The Rangers have struggled since their 2023 championship, posting an 81-81 record in 2025. Meanwhile, their divisional rival in the American League West has shifted from the Houston Astros to the Seattle Mariners, who advanced deep into the postseason last year and are projected to remain competitive in 2026. Key roster changes have reshaped the team. Outfielder Adolis García, a 2023 World Series hero, has joined the Phillies on a one-year, $10 million contract. Second baseman Marcus Semien was traded to the New York Mets in November for outfielder Brandon Nimmo, while catcher Jonah Heim moved to Atlanta. Despite these departures, shortstop Corey Seager remains with the Rangers. A two-time World Series MVP, Seager is a familiar name for fans and a key figure in the team’s lineup.#philadelphia_phillies #skip_schumaker #texas_rangers #nathan_eovaldi #jacob_degrom
Iowa Native Carter Baumler Makes Texas Rangers’ Opening Day Roster Carter Baumler, an Iowa native and former Dowling Catholic High School baseball player, has secured a spot on the Texas Rangers’ opening day roster. The announcement came during a spring training game on Monday, when Rangers manager Skip Schumaker broke the news to Baumler while he was on the mound. The moment unfolded in the fifth inning of the Rangers’ matchup against the Kansas City Royals, as Schumaker approached Baumler after retiring the first two hitters of the inning. Baumler’s teammates gathered around him, and the scene was filled with smiles and celebration. Baumler was drafted directly out of high school in 2020, selected 133rd overall by the Baltimore Orioles organization. Despite facing challenges, including injuries that required him to work harder in the years following his draft, Baumler’s dedication paid off. His perseverance was highlighted by his consistent effort during the winter leading up to big league camp, where he trained diligently to prepare for the professional level. The unique way Baumler learned of his call-up has sparked conversations among his coaches and teammates. Dowling Catholic’s head baseball coach, Jarek Sefrit, noted that it was a rare occurrence for a manager to interrupt a game to deliver such news. “That was probably the first time I’ve ever seen that unique situation where the manager walks out in the middle of the game and was able to break the news to him,” Sefrit said. He added that Baumler had been a standout player at Dowling Catholic, pitching on the varsity team for four years, even as a freshman. Baumler’s journey has also been marked by his commitment to mentorship.#carter_baumler #skip_schumaker #texas_rangers #dowling_catholic #jarek_sefrit
Rangers Pitcher Carter Baumler Surprised to Learn He Made the Opening Day Roster Carter Baumler, a rookie right-hander for the Texas Rangers, was caught off guard when his manager, Skip Schumaker, surprised him during a spring training game. The unexpected visit to the mound in the fifth inning of a matchup against the Kansas City Royals confirmed that Baumler had secured a spot on the team’s opening day roster. Schumaker approached the mound after Baumler retired the first two batters of the inning. Alongside him were Texas catcher Danny Jansen and all four infielders, who gathered to deliver the news. Schumaker informed Baumler he would start the season in the Rangers’ bullpen, a development that left the 24-year-old reliever stunned. “I wasn’t expecting it. I was like, ‘why is he coming out here?’ And he got on the mound and told me I made the team,” Baumler said during an in-game TV interview. “I mean, honestly, I thought I was like getting taken out of the game. ... Obviously, whenever the manager comes out, you’re usually done.” Baumler, who had never pitched above Double-A prior to this opportunity, maintained his composure to strike out Isaac Collins on a 96.8 mph fastball, ending the inning. The moment was celebrated by his teammates, who greeted him with high-fives after the third out. Jansen patted Baumler’s chest with his catcher’s mitt as a gesture of congratulations. The surprise announcement came after a strong spring training performance. In eight games, Baumler allowed just one earned run while striking out 10 batters over 9 1/3 innings. His journey to the majors has been marked by perseverance. Selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth round of the 2020 amateur draft, Baumler underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted.#kansas_city_royals #carter_baumler #skip_schumaker #danny_jansen #texas_rangers
Rangers' Carter Baumler Reveals Promotion to Major Leagues During Game Every player dreams of the moment they officially join Major League Baseball, a milestone often announced through a postgame meeting with a manager or a call from big league staff. For Rangers reliever Carter Baumler, the news came in an unexpected way—during a mound visit in the middle of an inning. Manager Skip Schumaker chose an unorthodox time to deliver the message, as Baumler had yet to face the minimum three batters, both of whom he retired swiftly. Baumler admitted he was caught off guard when Schumaker approached him on the mound. “I turned around, I saw him, and didn’t know what was going to happen,” he said. The moment, which Schumaker described as “a really cool moment,” was captured on television, with the broadcast quickly cutting to an interview to confirm the news. “I’m glad I could share it with other people,” Baumler added, noting that his family was watching the game on TV. The promotion came after the Rangers acquired Baumler in the offseason following his selection in the Rule 5 Draft by the Pirates. To keep him in the organization, the team placed him on the Opening Day roster for the entire season. Schumaker, who had previously been called up to the majors, wanted to make the moment memorable. “I’ll never forget when I got called up—the exact moment, the exact game, in Memphis, Tennessee,” he said. “I was just trying to think of a special way to tell him.” Baumler’s performance in the game was equally impressive. After retiring the first two batters he faced, Starling Marte and Jonathan India, Schumaker broke the news to him. The infielders gathered around, and the celebration included laughter and smiles.#rangers #carter_baumler #skip_schumaker #starling_marte #jonathan_india
