ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said the club used Trevor Williams as an opener on Friday because it is looking for different ways to beat the Tampa Bay Rays.
Kumar Rocker was lined up to follow Williams. Schumaker confirmed the arrangement to Rangers Sports Network before first pitch at Globe Life Field.
“We’re trying to find different ways to beat that team over there. We have to be creative,” Schumaker said. “It’s a really good team. We’re at the point of the season where every win matters. And so trying to find different ways to maybe change up different looks and see what happens.”
How Trevor Williams Got To The Texas Rangers
Rocker had been listed as Friday’s probable starter. He is 5-10 with a 4.44 ERA over 26 appearances and 24 starts, and he has thrown 129 2/3 innings. Rocker won the fifth rotation spot in spring training over Jacob Latz, and Cal Quantrill was reassigned to minor league camp that March.
Texas signed Williams to a major league contract on Sept. 1 and announced the move at 10:30 a.m. CT. The Rangers recalled infielder and outfielder Cam Cauley from Triple-A Round Rock the same day, filling both openings created when active rosters expanded to 28 players.
Washington released Williams in late August. The Nationals designated him for assignment on Aug. 25, two days after his last appearance for them, in the second year of a two-year, $14 million contract he signed after the 2024 season.
Williams worked 8 times in relief for Washington between July 29 and Aug. 23, posting a 2.65 ERA with 5 earned runs over 17 innings, 22 strikeouts, and 6 walks. He finished 5 of those 8 games. He had made one appearance for Texas before Friday, giving up 4 hits and 3 earned runs over 1 1/3 innings.
He missed the first half of this season recovering from internal brace surgery on his right ulnar collateral ligament in July 2025. He made six rehab appearances in the Nationals system and came off the 60-day injured list on July 29.
Trevor Williams’ First Start For An American League Club
Friday marked Williams’ first career start for an American League club. All 11 of his major league seasons before this one came with Pittsburgh, the Chicago Cubs, the New York Mets, and Washington. He is 53-65 with a 4.43 ERA across 227 games and 178 starts, with 1,026 innings and 847 strikeouts.
Miami took Williams in the second round of the 2013 draft out of Arizona State and traded him to Pittsburgh after the 2015 season. He debuted with the Pirates on Sept. 7, 2016, against St. Louis.
The Rangers carry a 4.36 bullpen ERA, which ranks 23rd in the majors, and 34 different players have pitched for Texas this season. Jack Leiter is on the 60-day injured list and Nathan Eovaldi is on the 15-day injured list.
Tampa Bay entered Friday at 83-57, leading the American League East by 3 games over the New York Yankees. The Rays had lost 10 straight games in Arlington, and Texas beat them 6-0 in the series opener behind 7 scoreless innings from Quantrill.
Texas entered Friday at 70-71, one-half game behind Cleveland for the American League’s final wild-card spot and 2 games behind first-place Houston in the West, with 21 games left on the schedule. Rays right-hander Nick Martinez (13-4, 2.99 ERA) started opposite Williams.
