ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers’ early-season slide deepened Sunday afternoon, as a quiet offense once again proved costly in a 2-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, completing a three-game sweep at Globe Life Field.
Texas has now dropped four straight games, with run production becoming a growing concern. The Rangers managed just one run in the series finale and totaled only four runs across the entire weekend set. During the current skid, four of the club’s five lowest offensive outputs of the season have occurred, underscoring a lineup searching for answers.
Despite the lack of support, right-hander Jack Leiter delivered one of his sharpest outings of the young season. The 25-year-old struck out nine over five innings, allowing just one run on four hits while issuing one walk. Leiter recorded at least one strikeout in every inning and fanned multiple hitters in four separate frames, continuing an impressive stretch to open his campaign.
But the Rangers’ bats couldn’t capitalize.
After falling behind early, Texas finally broke through in the seventh inning when Joc Pederson launched a game-tying solo home run — his first hit of the season after an 0-for-16 start. The blast briefly energized the home crowd, but it was the only spark the offense could muster.
Cincinnati responded in the eighth, as Elly De La Cruz delivered the decisive blow with an opposite-field RBI single to give the Reds a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.
The Rangers’ struggles at the plate were further highlighted by a season-high 15 strikeouts, their highest total since July of last year.
One bright spot for Texas remains Brandon Nimmo, who continued his strong start with two hits, extending his on-base streak to nine games. He is hitting .389 through his first stretch with the club and has consistently been one of the few reliable contributors in the lineup.
On the other side, Cincinnati pitching continued to dominate. Starter Chase Burns allowed just one run over more than six innings while striking out nine, continuing an impressive opening to his season.
The loss drops Texas to 4-5, marking the first time the club has fallen below .500 since Opening Day. It also represents the Rangers’ first home-opening series sweep since 2017.
Up Next
Texas turns the page Monday night, sending right-hander Jacob deGrom (0-0, 5.79 ERA) to the mound against the Seattle Mariners and right-hander Logan Gilbert (0-1, 6.75 ERA) to open a three-game set in Arlington.
