Series Preview: Rays vs Pirates
Six games down, one-hundred fifty-six to go
The 2025 regular season is a week old and the Rays will travel for their first road series of the year as they’ll take on the Texas Rangers in a three game set at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
The 2024 season was a disappointment for the 2023 World Series winning Rangers as they finished with a 78-84 record, 3rd in the American League West. On paper, several Rangers players had fantastic seasons with Corey Seager and Marcus Semien each having 4 fWAR campaigns and three others produced nearly 3 fWAR seasons. However, the pitching was problematic and the rest of the Rangers lineup struggled.
Semien and Seager are still with the Rangers and both are projected to provide solid seasons. They picked up Joc Pederson in free agency to provide some more offense against right-handed pitching and are hoping to get a full year from a healthy Wyatt Langford, a player that could develop into one of the best talents in baseball.
Thus far in 2025, the Rangers are off to a hot start with a 5-2 record and a half game lead in the American League West. They have been led by Adolis Garcia, who is hitting .227/.320/.636 with 2 HR over 25 trips to the plate, accruing 0.4 fWAR. The Rays meanwhile are 4-2, in second place in the American League East, a half game behind the Toronto Blue Jays.
Frivolities
The top players by career WAR to have played for the Rays and Rangers:
- Julio Franco
- Nelson Cruz
- Jose Canseco
- Carlos Pena
- Corey Kluber
The Rays best player offensively against the Rangers all-time (min. 25 PA):
Jose Canseco: .354/.466/.771 with 6 HR over 58 PA.
GAME ONE
Friday, April 4th
8:05 PM EDT
RHP Zack Littell vs RHP Tyler Mahle
GAME TWO
Saturday, April 5th
7:05 PM EDT
RHP Taj Bradley vs RHP Jacob DeGrom
GAME THREE
Sunday, April 5th
2:35 PM EDT
RHP Drew Rasmussen vs RHP Kumar Rocker