Rangers Cruise to Win Over Tigers

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

July 18, 2025

Rangers 2, Tigers 0

ARLINGTON, Texas (Jul 18) — The Texas Rangers used a very timely hit by Corey Seager in the eighth to beat the Detroit Tigers, 2–0, Friday night. It was a very nice way to begin the second half of the season for the Rangers. They currently sit in third place in the AL West, eight games behind the division-leading Houston Astros. They’ll try for the series win against the Tigers Saturday evening with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 pm Central at Globe Life Field. Right-hander Keider Montero (4–1, 4.02 ERA) will get the ball for the Tigers, while righty Kumar Rocker (3–4, 6.39 ERA) will take the hill for the Rangers.

Seager’s Big Hit

Both teams traded zeroes for the first seven innings and change. The Tigers brought in reliever Tommy Kahnle to start the bottom of the eighth.

Sensing the restless energy among the crowd of 36,068, Kyle Higashioka stepped in and lined a one-out double to right.

Cody Freeman, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock before Friday’s game, pinch-ran for Higashioka. It marked Freeman’s major league debut.

After Jonah Heim grounded back to Kahnle, Josh Smith drew a free pass. On deck was Seager, who found a gap and doubled to center, scoring both Freeman and Smith much to the delight of the appreciative crowd.

What Went Right for the Rangers

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has been telling his players to grind out their at-bats all season long. That’s exactly what they did on Friday. They fought until they turned the base paths into golden paths.

Seager’s double put the Midas touch on this game, stretching his on base streak to 19 games.

What Went Wrong for the Rangers

The only challenge the Rangers faced on Friday night was the eight base runners they allowed as a team. Their pitching staff surrendered four hits and four walks. The saving grace was they stranded every last one of them.

Nice Night for Corbin

Rangers lefty Patrick Corbin logged 5 2/3 scoreless innings Friday, taking the no-decision. His final line was 3 H, 2 BB, 6 SO, 92 pitches/56 strikes. He lowered his season ERA from 4.15 to 3.91 –his lowest ERA after 18 starts in a season since a 3.34 mark spanning his first 18 starts of 2019 with the Washington Nationals. Friday marked his first scoreless start as a Ranger and longest scoreless outing since August 27, 2024 against the New York Yankees as a member of the Nationals.

The win went to reliever Chris Martin, who tossed an inning in relief, yielding a walk and striking out one. His record now sits at 1–5 with an ERA of 2.14.

Robert Garcia notched his seventh save of 2025 after allowing a hit and striking out two in the ninth.

Olson’s Evening

Tigers starter Reese Olson worked into the sixth and registered his fourth scoreless start of 2025. His line was 5.0+ IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 90 pitches/58 strikes. Olson tallied six strikeouts, this after totaling four punch-outs across his last two starts before the All-Star break. He escaped a first-and-third, one-out situation unscathed in the third, inducing a shallow fly-out from Smith before striking out Seager to end the frame.

Olson was lifted after yielding a lead-off double to Heim in the sixth. Southpaw Tyler Holton stranded the inherited runner. Olson boasts a 2.05 ERA in four career starts against the Rangers but has never recorded a victory against them, as Detroit has provided him with two total runs of support in those four outings.

Kahnle was saddled with the loss after allowing the Seager double, bringing his record to 1–3 with an ERA of 4.85. He tossed one inning, giving up two runs, both earned, on two hits and a walk.

Bochy’s Postgame Comments

After the game, Bochy had a content expression on his face as he held court with reporters and discussed the win. “This was a nice win for us,” he said. “We had some timely hits. Obviously the big one came from Corey (Seager) but what a hit from Higgy. It was a great win coming out of the break.”