Jacob deGrom Faces Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz as Rangers Vs Yankees Opens
Jacob deGrom and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz line up in rangers vs yankees on May 5, 2026 as the New York Yankees open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers. New York enters at 24-11 and first in the AL East, while Texas comes in 16-18 and third in the AL West.
DeGrom is the probable starter for Texas, bringing a 2-1 record, a 2.01 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and 40 strikeouts. Rodriguez-Cruz is set for New York with a 0-1 mark, a 4.50 ERA, a 2.00 WHIP and three strikeouts.
Yankees Enter With Power
The Yankees have a 12-5 home record and 57 total home runs, the most in the AL. They have also won eight of their last 10 games, hitting.291 with a 2.66 ERA while outscoring opponents by 39 runs in that stretch.
Ben Rice leads New York with a.343 batting average, nine doubles and 12 home runs. Aaron Judge has added five home runs and 10 RBIs over his last 10 games, going 12 for 34 in that span.
Rangers Need A Better Road Start
Texas arrives 9-10 on the road and 4-6 over its last 10 games, with a.224 batting average and a 3.78 ERA in that run. The Rangers were outscored by 11 runs over those 10 games, but they have gone 11-2 when scoring at least five runs.
Josh Jung has supplied 12 doubles and four home runs, while Brandon Nimmo has gone 11 for 35 with two doubles and an RBI over his last 10 games. The Rangers also open the series carrying multiple injury absences, including Wyatt Langford on the 10-Day IL, Cody Freeman on the 10-Day IL and Jordan Montgomery on the 60-Day IL.
Fourth Meeting Shapes The Series
Tuesday's game is the fourth meeting between the Yankees and Rangers this season, and the records at the top of each division show why the opener carries more weight than a normal May matchup. New York is trying to keep pace with its AL East lead, while Texas is trying to cut into a division race that has already pushed it behind early.
The betting line also points to a tight opener, with the Yankees listed at -116 and the Rangers at -104, and the total set at 8 runs. That leaves the matchup sitting on the edge of New York's home power and Texas' need to get enough offense behind deGrom.
