Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas
First pitch: 8:05 p.m. ET
TV: NESN / Rangers RSN
The Red Sox, holding the second AL wild-card spot with a five-game cushion, aim to avoid a series sweep after dropping the first two games in Arlington. The Rangers, who reached .500 with Wednesday’s 7-3 win and tied the Astros for first in the AL West (Houston owns the tiebreaker), seek a three-game sweep while fighting for a division title or wild-card berth with 10 games remaining.
Starting Pitchers
Red Sox: RHP Sonny Gray (17-5, 2.76 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 140 K in 156.2 IP)
Gray is having one of the best seasons of his career and ranks among the AL leaders in wins and ERA. He is 12-5 with a 2.81 ERA in 20 career appearances (19 starts) against Texas. He goes for his MLB-leading 18th win in this series finale.
Rangers: LHP Tyler Alexander (5-2, 3.38 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 57 K in 66.2 IP)
Alexander is expected to open, with lefty Cody Bradford (0-5, 4.72 ERA) likely handling the bulk of the innings. Alexander has limited recent starting experience and a mixed track record vs. Boston (1-0, 5.63 ERA in seven career appearances).
Gray holds a substantial edge in form, experience, and quality.
Venue & Weather Forecast
Globe Life Field is a retractable-roof stadium. The roof is typically closed in hot conditions, creating a climate-controlled environment that neutralizes outdoor weather effects. Outside conditions in Arlington: Hot and mostly sunny/partly cloudy, with highs near 95–99°F and lows in the upper 70s. Southeast winds 5–10 mph and low precipitation chances (under 20%). Humidity will make it feel even warmer. The controlled indoor environment should produce consistent playing conditions.
Injury Reports
Red Sox
Ceddanne Rafaela (CF): 10-day IL (quadriceps)
Curtis Mead (3B): 10-day IL (wrist)
Masataka Yoshida (DH): 10-day IL (hamstring)
Anthony Seigler (INF): 10-day IL (wrist)
Longer-term: Tanner Houck (elbow, rehabbing), Garrett Crochet (shoulder), Justin Slaten (elbow), and others.
Available contributors include Willson Contreras, Trevor Story, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran (when available), and Adley Rutschman.
Rangers
Kyle Higashioka (C): 10-day IL (forearm)
Cole Winn, Peyton Gray (RPs): 15-day IL
Joc Pederson (DH): Day-to-day (hand)
Longer-term: Jack Leiter (ankle), Carter Baumler (ribs), Michael Helman (hand), and others.
Core pieces such as Corey Seager, Jake Burger, Wyatt Langford, Brandon Nimmo, Josh Jung, and Ezequiel Duran remain available.
Key Player Matchups & Notes
Willson Contreras (Red Sox) leads Boston with 27 home runs and delivered a two-run shot in Wednesday’s loss; he is a primary power threat against left-handed pitching.
Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu provide secondary production.
Rangers side: Corey Seager, Jake Burger, and Brandon Nimmo form a dangerous middle of the order (Nimmo had the go-ahead double Wednesday). Wyatt Langford and Josh Jung add speed and contact.
Gray’s track record vs. Texas and ability to miss bats favor Boston early, while the Rangers’ recent offensive surge (13 hits Wednesday) and home form make them dangerous if they reach the bullpen.
Recent Team Forms
Red Sox: Mixed at roughly 2-3 in their last five and 5-5 in their last 10. They have lost five of seven overall but maintain a solid road record (44-33).
Rangers: Strong at 4-1 in their last five and riding a four-game winning streak. They have been excellent at home lately and just reached .500 for the first time in weeks.
Series History
The Rangers lead the current three-game set 2-0 after wins of (series opener) and 7-3 on Wednesday. The full 2026 season series has been competitive; this is the finale of the Arlington series.
Betting Trends
Boston is a slight road favorite behind Gray’s excellence, despite Texas’s recent momentum and home-field advantage in a crucial stretch.
Game Odds
Boston Red Sox – 137
Texas Rangers 7.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, September 16, 2026
