A fresh start or the same old story? Opening Day will tell the story for the Rangers

Even though it is just one of 162 games in the regular season, Opening Day can be a harbinger of things to come in many ways. And with the Rangers officially ushering in the Skip Schumaker era, fans are eager to see how the team responds.

Nathan Eovaldi will take the mound as the Rangers begin their 2026 campaign in Philadelphia in just a few days, and there are a handful of things that could indicate whether fans can expect more of the same or if the team has something new to offer that will make 2025 a distant memory.

Keep an eye out for some key things on Opening Day as potential indicators of what's in store for Rangers' season

What is the energy level of the players like?

This can be a difficult thing to spot, as every player has a little extra pep in their step for the first game of the season. But with the Rangers opening on the road in Philadelphia this season, look to see whether the players rally around each other, regardless of how things go. Especially if things go poorly, because being galvanized in a difficult situation in a hostile environment says a lot about the kind of camaraderie the team has formed during spring training.

Sure, we all want to come out with a W on Opening Day, but gauging the players' body language, whether it should not go that way, could be a more important indicator of how this 2026 team will gel throughout the season and the chemistry they have established.

Are the hitters showing better discipline at the plate?

Last year, the Rangers were one of the most undisciplined hitting teams in all of baseball. The Rangers' chase percentage with runners in scoring position was 32.2%, fourth-worst in the major leagues. Their strikeout percentage, 23.7%, was fifth-worst. It was a maddening season to be a fan.

During spring training, the Rangers have been better at working counts and realizing the value of a good out versus a swing for the fences strikeout. Hopefully, hitting coach Justin Viele's message is finally getting through, emphasizing that you can still win games by being smart at the plate and working into advantageous counts that force the pitcher's hand and seeing better pitches to drive.

What is the approach of the hitters with runners in scoring position?

This ties in with being more disciplined at the plate because how the Ranger hitters change their approach with RISP and with two strikes will be indicative of a shift from last year's team, which hit .235 with runners at second or third base. That was fourth-worst in MLB.

There should be more Rangers who take Sam Haggerty's approach when he gets the opportunity to hit with RISP. That is, they should be even more selective at the plate and be willing to do whatever they have to do to put the ball in play.

If you have to choke up an inch or two to make contact, then that should be encouraged. Last season, there was too much focus on hitting home runs and extra base hits with runners in scoring position, and not enough on serving the ball wherever it is pitched and making the opposing defense work to get outs instead of making it easy for them with a K or a routine pop-up.