Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News

ARLINGTON — Rangers shortstop Corey Seager did the talking this time around. 

“It was probably a little bit emotional for him today,” Seager said of teammate Jacob deGrom after Saturday night’s game. “A little extra gear, a little extra want, I guess, is a good word. To go out there, prove why he wanted to be here, prove why he’s been here, why he’s been the best and why we want him to be here. It was fun to watch.”

Seager didn’t have much to say about his own heroics, for the record, and deGrom only deferred to the general importance of this series, even when asked multiple times if this start meant anything extra to him given the events that led into it. This isn’t to say that their words don’t matter, given how the club responded to deGrom’s affirmation at last week’s trade deadline, but they’ll only blare as loud as the actions that precede or follow them for the remainder of this season.

Article continues below this ad

The message has been received. 

Seager and deGrom, the club’s two highest paid and highest profile players, anchored a 5-1 win vs. the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field on Saturday night. Seager hit his first home run since returning from the injured list in the eighth inning to ice the game, deGrom pitched five innings of one-run ball to back up the comments he made at the trade deadline last week and the Rangers pulled within a a half game of the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West standings. 

“You’ve heard the term aircraft carriers, and the whole deal, but those are them,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “That’s what they look like. They are the ones that put up crooked numbers to make us look really good as coaches. Corey Seager is that guy and Jacob deGrom is that guy. You can’t teach 100 mph, putting sliders wherever you want it at his age, still doing it, it’s incredible.”

Texas Rangers Corey Seager was congratulated on his three-run home run by Wyatt Langford (36) during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. Seagar scored Langford and Osuna.

Texas Rangers Corey Seager was congratulated on his three-run home run by Wyatt Langford (36) during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. Seagar scored Langford and Osuna.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) hurls a first inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) hurls a first inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers third baseman Ezequiel Duran (20) scores as he avoids the tag by Baltimore Orioles catcher Carlos Narváez during the second inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. Duran scored on an infield hit by Evan Carter.

Texas Rangers third baseman Ezequiel Duran (20) scores as he avoids the tag by Baltimore Orioles catcher Carlos Narváez during the second inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. Duran scored on an infield hit by Evan Carter.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers Evan Carter (32) slides safely into home plate as Baltimore Orioles catcher Carlos Narváez (75) drops the throw during the second inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers Evan Carter (32) slides safely into home plate as Baltimore Orioles catcher Carlos Narváez (75) drops the throw during the second inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez (33) back hands a grounder by Baltimore Orioles batter Pete Alonso during the third inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. Lopez made the throw to first to make the put out.

Texas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez (33) back hands a grounder by Baltimore Orioles batter Pete Alonso during the third inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. Lopez made the throw to first to make the put out.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) hurls a fifth inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) hurls a fifth inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) threw into the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) threw into the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) follows through on a fifth inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) follows through on a fifth inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers pitcher Peyton Gray (75) hurls a seventh inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers pitcher Peyton Gray (75) hurls a seventh inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers pitcher Chase Silseth (63) throws a seventh inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers pitcher Chase Silseth (63) throws a seventh inning pitch to the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers third baseman Ezequiel Duran walks to the batters circle for an at-bat against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers third baseman Ezequiel Duran walks to the batters circle for an at-bat against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers catcher Austin Wynns stretches before his at-bat during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers catcher Austin Wynns stretches before his at-bat during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager turns the front end of a double play, getting Baltimore Orioles Jackson Holliday (7) at second during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager turns the front end of a double play, getting Baltimore Orioles Jackson Holliday (7) at second during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager turns the front end of a double play, getting Baltimore Orioles Jackson Holliday (7) at second during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager turns the front end of a double play, getting Baltimore Orioles Jackson Holliday (7) at second during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez heads to the batters circle during the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers second baseman Nicky Lopez heads to the batters circle during the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers Corey Seager watches his three-run home run during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Texas Rangers Corey Seager watches his three-run home run during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers Corey Seager is congratulated on his three-run home run by Wyatt Langford (36) during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. Seagar scored Langford and Osuna.

Texas Rangers Corey Seager is congratulated on his three-run home run by Wyatt Langford (36) during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. Seagar scored Langford and Osuna.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers pitcher Cal Quantrill (44) closes out the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. The Rangers won, 5-1.

Texas Rangers pitcher Cal Quantrill (44) closes out the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. The Rangers won, 5-1.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsTexas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (center, right) congratulates relief pitcher Cal Quantrill (44) after closing out the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. The Rangers won, 5-1.

Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (center, right) congratulates relief pitcher Cal Quantrill (44) after closing out the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026. The Rangers won, 5-1.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning NewsThe Texas Rangers bench players and staff congratulate their teammates after defeating the Baltimore Orioles, 5-1, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

The Texas Rangers bench players and staff congratulate their teammates after defeating the Baltimore Orioles, 5-1, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, August 8, 2026.

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News

The Rangers have now won four of the five games they’ve played since a relatively inactive trade deadline performance. They were dormant in part because of the fact that deGrom declined to waive his no-trade clause after he was approached about a potential trade by the club, and when asked about the decision later that day, reiterated that he “believes in this group.”

Article continues below this ad

The two-time Cy Young award winner pitched liked “vintage deGrom,” as Schumaker put it, in his first start since those comments. He struck out nine batters and finished his start with four scoreless frames. The 38-year-old allowed a home run three at-bats into the game when Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday pulled his four-seam fastball into the right field seats, but after that, gave up only two more hits before he was replaced by Peyton Gray at the start of the sixth inning. 

“I’m sure there were a lot of emotions, whether he’s going to admit it or not, for this start,” Schumaker said, “but he stepped up and gave us exactly what we needed.”

Schumaker said that they removed deGrom after only 88 pitches in part because of the hip discomfort that’s lingered since before the All-Star break. 

“The hip is still there a little bit but we’re going to be able to manage it and keep going,” said deGrom. “I had some deep counts and was at 88 at the end of the fifth. Today was definitely better than it had been in Houston, so we tried not to reset it and take a step backwards. I think we came out at a good time. I obviously wish I could’ve gone deeper, and the pitch count wasn’t there, but we were obviously able to come out of that one feeling better than I did after the Houston one.”

The bullpen trio of Gray, Chase Silseth and Cal Quantrill covered the final four innings. The Rangers initially warmed up All-Star closer Jacob Latz for the ninth, but because of Seager’s home run, they didn’t need to use their bullpen ace in a second consecutive game. They held a one-run lead through seven innings, and in the bottom of the eighth, Seager hit a Grant Wolfram sinker 418 feet into the right-center field seats for a three-run home run. 

Article continues below this ad

Seager, who missed nearly a month because of lower back inflammation, has slashed .333/.407/.500 with a pair of extra base hits since coming off the injured list. His name swirled in trade rumors prior to the deadline, but the Rangers never became particularly close to a deal, and they’ll now continue with him in the heart of their lineup. 

“Having Corey Seager back, hopefully for the rest of the season, changes everything,” Schumaker said. “It puts people in different spots in the order, it puts people in positions that they should probably be playing more often at and obviously, you have to always circle somebody in the middle of the order, and you’re always looking at Corey.”

Seager, when asked about his own performance since his return, had this to say. 

“Obviously,” he said, “you always want to have success.”

Article continues below this ad

The point’s been made regardless.Â