ARLINGTON, Texas — The “opening weekend” branding behind home plate and around the stadium is a tad misleading. The Rangers started the regular season eight days ago, technically, across the country against the Philadelphia Phillies. The result was the same nonetheless. The Rangers lost their home opener, 5-3, vs. the Cincinnati Reds — the same score as their season-opening loss last week — ...

Chris Martin of the Texas Rangers pitches in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Globe Life Field on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.

Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images North America/TNS

ARLINGTON, Texas — The “opening weekend” branding behind home plate and around the stadium is a tad misleading. The Rangers started the regular season eight days ago, technically, across the country against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The result was the same nonetheless.

The Rangers lost their home opener, 5-3, vs. the Cincinnati Reds — the same score as their season-opening loss last week — Friday at Globe Life Field. They were done in by a ninth-inning meltdown and another wasted opportunity from a closer candidate.

Here are five thoughts from the loss.

The closer issue is still an issue

The Rangers entered the top of the ninth inning tied. They left it with a deficit.

Right-hander Chris Martin allowed a leadoff double to Reds left fielder Spencer Steer before catcher Tyler Stephenson hit a go-ahead two-run home run into the home bullpen. It was not a save opportunity because the game was tied, but it was further proof that the Rangers have work to do at the back end of their bullpen, especially with an offense and rotation that will keep them competitive late into games.

The Rangers tied the game in the seventh inning when right fielder Brandon Nimmo laced a one-out triple off of right-hander Graham Ashcraft and left fielder Wyatt Langford drove him in with a double. They went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

GoreTex

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said pregame that left-hander MacKenzie Gore’s season debut against the Philadelphia Phillies was even better the second time he watched it a day later.

The 27-year-old tried his best for a repeat.

Gore allowed three runs on six hits, striking out nine and walking none over six innings. The Reds pounced on a pair of mistake pitches for their three runs. Left fielder Spencer Steer yanked a cutter in the zone for a two-run home run in the second and shortstop Elly De La Cruz slapped a hung curveball over the left field fence for a go-ahead solo shot in the sixth.

He struck out batters on five different pitches against the Phillies. He used just three Friday and got the Reds to strike out on his four-seam fastball five times.

Two-out magic

The Rangers continued a trend that began in Wednesday’s series finale against the Baltimore Orioles in the second inning of Friday’s home opener when they strung together three consecutive two-out hits for two runs that tied the game.

Third baseman Josh Jung reached on a 101.9-mph single against Cincinnati right-hander Brady Singer, center fielder Evan Carter followed with a 106.5-mph double and catcher Danny Jansen drove both in with a 103.3-mph double of his own. Nimmo moved Jansen to third base on a single before Langford flew out. It was the second time in as many games that the Rangers charted four consecutive two-out hits.

The Rangers hit .312 with two outs in the season’s first six games, better than all but three teams leaguewide, and 76 percentage points improved from last year. It’s another example of the team-oriented at-bats that Schumaker has stressed: It means innings are extended, pressure is exerted and pitchers are forced to work.

Hardball

The Rangers totaled a dozen hard hits — batted balls with an exit velocity of 95 mph or greater — in five innings against Singer. Five were hit in the second inning when the Rangers rallied for the pair of two-out runs. First baseman Jake Burger chased him from the game with a 104.2 mph leadoff double in the sixth.

Their 38.1% hard-hit percentage and 90.8-mph average exit velocity both ranked second in the American League through the season’s first six games. It is not the be-all-end-all of offensive success. It is a sign, though, that the Rangers are dialed in early to square up on balls.

A missed opportunity

Carter will see some — but not all — left-handed pitchers. He faced one Friday in a crucial spot

The Rangers let Carter, who is 5 for 64 all time against southpaws, face left-hander Sam Moll with two outs and the tying run at third base in the sixth inning. Carter struck out on three consecutive sweepers and stranded Burger at third base. Schumaker could’ve pinch hit outfielder Sam Haggerty, a career .282 hitter against lefties, in that instance. Instead he gave his young outfielder a high-leverage chance.

It didn’t work Friday.

They’ll hope the experience leads to a more successful one in the future.