Baseball is back in North Texas as the Texas Rangers open their home schedule Friday afternoon at Globe Life Field.

The team is returning to Arlington with early-season momentum and celebrations planned for Opening Day.

The Rangers host the Cincinnati Reds in their home opener, with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Dallas Stars goalie and Olympic gold medalist Jake Oettinger will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Team officials say tickets are still available for the game, with the MLB website listing tickets starting at $88.

Unlike recent seasons, Texas began the 2026 campaign on the road, opening with two series away from home.

The Rangers made the most of it, winning both series and starting the season 4- 2. It marked the club’s best five-game start since 2012.

It was also only the second time since 1992 that the Rangers completed a season-opening road trip of at least two series with a winning record – a notable milestone against higher-level competition.

“It’s unusual that we would open the season with two road series because we open at home most of the time. It’s not often we open the season with two road series, especially in two tough places like Philadelphia and Baltimore,” said John Blake, the Rangers’ senior advisor and team historian. “There’s a lot of energy, and I think a lot of optimism going into the season.”

Blake added that opening the year against teams expected to contend for the playoffs made the start even more encouraging.

Swag giveaways this season

Opening Day also kicks off the Rangers’ most ambitious promotional schedule to date. The team is offering 38 promotional items during the 2026 season, the most in franchise history. All are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Fans attending Friday’s home opener will receive a free magnet schedule, with the giveaway limited to the first 30,000 fans through the gates. Later in the season, the Rangers plan to give away bobbleheads, replica jerseys, a dog toy and even a vinyl record.

Nearly all promotional item giveaways during the 2026 season will be limited to the first 10,000 fans entering Globe Life Field on each designated giveaway date, with two promotions featuring larger quantities: the 2026 Magnetic Schedule presented by Anheuser Busch, available to the first 30,000 fans at the club’s home opener on April 3 vs. Cincinnati, and the Nolan Ryan Bloody Lip Jersey presented by Globe Life, which will be distributed as an All Fans Giveaway on May 29 vs. Kansas City.

The full promo item giveaway schedule is available online.

The Rangers will also host over 60 Theme and Community Nights at the ballpark this summer.

New Texas-sized food

In addition to baseball and giveaways, Globe Life Field is rolling out several new menu items designed to make a statement. Known for oversized and bold concessions, the Rangers’ food lineup for 2026 includes Pork Wings, the Pig Kahuna and High Steaks Nachos.

The most talked-about new item, however, is the “Loaded 9th-Inning Rally Sombrero” – a literal wearable hat filled with nachos, cheese, lettuce, jalapeños, pico de gallo and tortilla chips.

Greg Maus of Delaware North, the food service provider at Globe Life Field, said the item builds on a long tradition of Texas-sized concession offerings.

“This is the newest item in our Texas-sized share bowl series that we’ve been known for here for longer than a decade,” Maus said.

While the sombrero is technically wearable, Maus admitted that it may not be its primary purpose.

“We don’t necessarily recommend wearing it,” he said. “But we know Rangers fans know how to have fun, so we’re excited about that.”

Friday’s game begins a homestand that runs through Wednesday, April 8. During that stretch, the Rangers will also host their division rivals, the Seattle Mariners.

To see the full 2026 Texas Rangers schedule, click here.