The Texas Rangers welcome the Baltimore Orioles to Globe Life Field on Friday, August 7, 2026, for a 8:15 PM ET first pitch. Nathan Eovaldi gets the ball for Texas, squaring off against right-hander Shane Baz, who gets the nod for Baltimore. It is a meaningful midsummer matchup between two franchises with playoff ambitions, and with Eovaldi on the mound in front of a home crowd, the Rangers have every reason to feel good about their chances. Catch the game on Apple TV or tune in locally on 105.3 The Fan.

Pitching Matchup: Eovaldi vs. Baz

Nathan Eovaldi is a proven workhorse who brings durability and competitiveness every time he takes the hill. His ability to generate weak contact and work deep into games makes him a reliable anchor for the Texas rotation. The Rangers will lean on him to set the tone early and give the bullpen a breather.

Shane Baz comes over from the Baltimore side as a talented arm with swing-and-miss stuff. He has the kind of fastball-slider combination that can keep lineups off balance, so the Rangers offense will need to stay disciplined and work counts early against him.

Texas Rangers Starting Lineup

• 1. Joc Pederson — DH
• 2. Wyatt Langford — LF
• 3. Corey Seager — SS
• 4. Brandon Nimmo — RF
• 5. Ezequiel Duran — 3B
• 6. Evan Carter — CF
• 7. Jake Burger — 1B
• 8. Elias Díaz — C
• 9. Nicky Lopez — 2B

Keys to Watch for the Rangers

Corey Seager Hitting in the Heart of the Order

Seager batting third is no accident. He is the engine of this offense, and when he is locked in, the lineup flows. Baz will have to make quality pitches to navigate the middle of this Texas order, particularly with Langford ahead of him and Nimmo hitting cleanup behind him. If Seager gets on base early, this Rangers offense can do real damage.

Wyatt Langford Continuing to Develop

Langford hitting second is a clear sign of where this organization sees his upside. The young outfielder has legitimate tools, and his placement in the two-hole puts him in position to drive runners in or set the table for Seager and Nimmo. Keep an eye on how he handles Baz's velocity.

Eovaldi Keeping Baltimore Off the Bases

The Orioles are capable of stringing hits together and manufacturing runs. Eovaldi's ability to work ahead in counts and limit free passes will be critical. If he can keep Baltimore from getting baserunners in bunches, Texas should be in good shape heading into the later innings.

Prediction

This is a strong spot for the Rangers. Eovaldi pitching at Globe Life Field against a capable but hittable opponent, backed by a lineup that features genuine threats top to bottom, points toward a Texas win. The middle of the order — Seager, Nimmo, and Duran — should find a way to do damage against Baz. Rangers win, 4-2.