The Texas Rangers showed flashes of their offseason improvements as they edged out the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in a tightly contested Cactus League Spring Training matchup at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona. The afternoon sun, a crowd of 12,073, and a handful of promising debuts set the stage for a game that, while not counting in the regular season standings, certainly offered fans a taste of what might be coming in 2026.
Coming off a 2025 campaign that saw their offense ranked just 26th in MLB OPS (.683), the Rangers entered camp determined to shake things up. The front office wasted no time, acquiring outfielder Brandon Nimmo and catcher Danny Jansen while parting ways with several underperformers, including Marcus Semien, Adolis García, and Jonah Heim. The result? A lineup loaded with left-handed hitters—Nimmo, Corey Seager, Josh Smith, Evan Carter, and Joc Pederson all swing from the left side—prompting management to seek more right-handed power.
Just a week before this game, Texas signed veteran outfielder and first baseman Mark Canha to a minor-league deal. The hope: Canha could provide a spark against left-handed pitching and offer valuable bench depth. Yet, as the Rangers’ latest moves unfolded, some analysts wondered whether a bigger bat might have made the difference. Former Phillies slugger Rhys Hoskins, who recently agreed to a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Guardians, was reportedly on Texas’s radar. According to The Athletic’s Zack Meisel, Hoskins will earn $1.5 million if he cracks Cleveland’s big-league roster—a bargain for a player with his pedigree.
"Hoskins clearly has more potential than Canha to have a great season in 2026," Jackson Kruse reported, highlighting Hoskins’s All-Star-caliber track record. From 2017 to 2022, Hoskins posted 11.4 bWAR and a .242/.353/.492 slash line with 148 homers in 667 games for the Phillies. Even in 2026, after injuries limited his playing time, he managed a .237/.332/.416 line with 12 home runs in 90 games for the Milwaukee Brewers. Canha, by comparison, struggled through 46 games with the Kansas City Royals, hitting just .212/.272/.265 with one homer and a -1.0 bWAR.
Despite missing out on Hoskins, the Rangers pressed forward—and their new-look lineup showed some grit against the Cubs. The game’s first run came in the second inning, thanks in part to a bit of sunshine misfortune. Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong lost a fly ball in the sun, allowing Tyler Wade to reach on what was generously ruled a double. Wade later scored on a single by Sam Haggerty, putting Texas up 1-0.
Matthew Boyd, making his spring debut for Chicago, was both sharp and unlucky. He threw 36 pitches (25 for strikes), struck out four, and allowed only one run in 1 2/3 innings. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first but couldn’t escape the second without damage. "Boyd put together what I thought was a decent outing," one observer noted, and for a pitcher looking to solidify his rotation spot, it was a serviceable first step.
The Cubs didn’t let the deficit linger. In the bottom of the second, prospect Pedro Ramirez worked a walk, stole second, and dashed home on a single from Jefferson Rojas, tying the game at 1-1. Rojas, Chicago’s No. 3 prospect, continued his hot start to the spring, driving in both of the Cubs’ runs and giving fans a glimpse of his potential. "No. 3 prospect Jefferson Rojas drove in both runs as he has gotten off to a great start to begin the Spring," reported Dustin Riese.
The seesaw battle continued into the fourth inning. With Hoby Milner on the mound for Chicago, the Rangers capitalized on a pair of singles, setting up another clutch moment for Sam Haggerty. His RBI double put Texas ahead 3-1, and proved to be the game-winning hit. The Cubs responded in their half of the fourth, stringing together singles by James Triantos and Ramirez before Rojas grounded out to bring Triantos home, trimming the deficit to 3-2.
The Cubs had a golden opportunity to break through in the fourth, loading the bases with one out, but came up empty as Crow-Armstrong and Carson Kelly failed to deliver. From there, both bullpens held firm. Jack Neely impressed for Chicago, striking out three batters in a single inning, while Luke Little and others kept the Rangers at bay.
Defensively, the Cubs faced a setback when Jonathon Long exited with a left elbow strain after a collision with Mark Canha. While Long was unlikely to make the Opening Day roster, the injury was a tough blow for the young infielder’s development. "It’s a tough blow if Long misses time in Spring Training," one postgame report noted.
Technology played a role in the late innings, too. The game featured five ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System) challenges, three of which resulted in overturned calls. The most dramatic came in the bottom of the ninth: Hayden Cantrelle challenged a strike-three call and won—by just seven-tenths of an inch—only to strike out swinging on the next pitch, ending the game for good.
Offensively, the Cubs continued to struggle, managing just one hit from Cantrelle over several innings and failing to capitalize on late opportunities. Nine different players recorded a hit, but the big blow was missing. The Rangers, meanwhile, showed that their new additions and lineup tweaks might be paying early dividends—even if it’s just Spring Training.
The attendance of 12,073 brought the spring total at Sloan Park to 26,492 over two dates, averaging 13,246 per game—a strong turnout for early preseason action. As the Cubs prepare for a two-game road swing starting with the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale, fans will be watching to see if the offense can find its groove and whether prospects like Rojas and Ramirez can keep up their hot starts.
For the Rangers, the victory—however modest—offers a glimpse of a team eager to put last year’s offensive woes behind them. With their lefty-heavy lineup, new faces like Nimmo and Jansen, and the hope that Canha can provide right-handed punch, Texas is setting the stage for a season of change. And while the missed opportunity to sign Rhys Hoskins lingers, the Rangers’ front office has signaled it’s not done tinkering.
Spring Training may not count, but for teams like the Rangers and Cubs, every inning is a chance to answer questions, test new combinations, and build momentum. With the Cactus League just getting underway, there’s still plenty of baseball left—and plenty of storylines to watch as both clubs look to turn the page on 2025.