MESA, Ariz. — The fourth inning of Saturday’s Cactus League game between the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs was a flashback episode.
The Cubs ran ex-Rangers left-handed relief pitcher Hoby Milner out onto the mound. His battery mate was ex-Rangers catcher Carson Kelly. It harkened back to a time when the Rangers rebuilt their bullpen in one offseason and made a deal to improve their big league catcher rotation.
Actually, on second thought, that’s not all too different from their current situation.
More on that, and more, in the below observations from Saturday’s 3-2 win.
Rangers
Healthy Haggerty
Outfielder/infielder Sam Haggerty’s surgically repaired ankle looked fine — if exhibition performances can be used as proof — when he went 3-for-3 against two left-handed Cubs pitchers. Haggerty, who played second base Saturday, corralled a low-and-away Matt Boyd changeup for a leadoff single in the first and chopped a fastball into the outfield for a hit in the second that scored center fielder Tyler Wade from second base. In the fourth, against former Rangers southpaw Hoby Milner, he hit a 104.4 mph double into left field to score two runs and give Texas a 3-1 lead.
Haggerty’s ability to hit left-handed pitchers is his ticket to a significant role in his second season with the club. He slashed .318/.376/.435 in 85 at bats against them last season before ankle inflammation in mid-August sidelined him.
Related
His exact mileage may vary based on the circumstances around him. Can outfielder Evan Carter hit well enough against southpaws to earn regular at bats against them? Will second baseman Josh Smith perform well enough for a full season to stave off competition? How will Rangers manager Skip Schumaker fill the designated hitter position when Joc Pederson isn’t in against lefties?
Haggerty, more likely than not, will be factored into each of those equations.
On the basepaths
The Rangers allowed the third-highest stolen base success rate (83%) and the ninth-most total stolen bases (127) leaguewide last season. The Cubs stole two bases against right-handed starter Kumar Rocker and catcher Danny Jansen on Saturday afternoon. Rocker’s ability to control the run game is among the key areas that the Rangers will focus on in his spring starts.
“So far, the leg turn has been good, and that’s what I can do to keep an eye on it,” Rocker said. “When I pick like that, I need to do a better job of holding when the runner comes back.”
Texas Rangers pitcher Carter Baumler throws live batting practice during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, in Surprise, Ariz.
Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer
Bullpen candidate’s debut
Rule 5 draft selection (or, more technically, trade acquisition after the Rule 5 draft) Carter Baumler pitched a perfect sixth inning in his Cactus League debut. He was errant early, with a few balls thrown to Cubs outfielder Brett Bateman that weren’t close to the plate, but he was able to settle in and land his power curveball (which ran 85-86 mph) for a strike and a whiff to strikeout designated hitter BJ Murray. Baumler’s fastball ran 95-96 mph.
His path to a spot on the opening day roster, much like other would-be bullpen candidates, will be predicated on his ability to throw strikes. He threw seven of his 11 pitches for strikes Saturday afternoon.
For Kumar Rocker, spring training is time to show the Rangers what he’s worked onWhy Skip Schumaker is taking Texas Rangers off the back fields for batting practice
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