ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers are searching for traction, and the New York Yankees aren’t making it easy.
New York rode a three-homer night and a dominant outing from Max Fried to a 4–2 win in Monday’s series opener at Globe Life Field, handing Texas its second straight loss and sixth in the last nine games.
The Rangers (14–15) have struggled to generate offense during that stretch, averaging just over three runs per game, and they again found themselves chasing early.
Jack Leiter looked in control out of the gate, retiring hitters efficiently through the first two innings. But the rhythm unraveled in the third. After a two-out infield single, New York struck quickly — Ben Rice launched a two-run homer, and Aaron Judge followed with a blast of his own to put the Yankees ahead for good.
An inning later, Jazz Chisholm Jr. added another long ball, turning on the first pitch he saw in the fourth to extend the lead.
Leiter (1–2) settled back in but was tagged for four earned runs over six innings, with all the damage coming via the home run — a rare sight for the right-hander at home after limiting power in recent starts.
Meanwhile, Fried continued his steady run at the top of New York’s rotation. The left-hander worked six scoreless innings, mixing command and pace to keep Texas off balance. He has now delivered six innings or more in six of his seven starts this season and lowered his ERA to just over 2.00.
Texas didn’t break through until the seventh, when Joc Pederson came off the bench and sent a solo shot into the seats — the club’s first pinch-hit home run of the year. It trimmed the deficit but did little to shift momentum.
Josh Jung continued to be a bright spot in the lineup, reaching base three times and extending his hitting streak to seven games. The third baseman has been one of the few consistent bats for Texas through April.
For the Yankees, the win was another sign of a team clicking early. New York has now won 10 of its last 12 games and continues to lead the majors in home runs, flexing the kind of lineup depth that can change a game in a matter of pitches.
The Rangers, meanwhile, remain in a tight division race but are still looking for consistency on both sides of the ball as the homestand continues.
